Michael Phelps to Host Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live makes its 34th season premiere on Saturday, September 13 featuring Michael Phelps and hip-hop superstar Lil Wayne.US Olympic swimming phenomenon Michael Phelps will make his acting debut hosting the season premiere hot off his record-shattering performance in Beijing.

The “SNL” season premiere kicks off four live shows in a row, a rare practice that generated momentum for the show this past spring when the show returned after the WGA Strike-imposed hiatus. All told, seven all-new SNL’s will air on Saturdays prior to the election.

Phelps went a perfect 8-for-8 in Beijing, breaking Mark Spitz’s single-Games record for most gold medals won. In addition, Phelps broke another Olympics record, becoming the most decorated Olympian in history, winning a stunning 14 career gold medals. Phelps currently holds seven world records in swimming.

In addition to the revved-up Saturday schedule, “SNL” is ready for primetime with “Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday.” Three LIVE primetime half-hours beginning October 9 at 9:30pm ET. These primetime special editions will be anchored by the show’s signature “Weekend Update.” This marks a return to the NBC Thursday night lineup for “SNL,” which produced similar live “Update”-centered broadcasts in 2001.

Tropic Thunder’s “Rain of Madness” Now on iTunes

Beginning today, DreamWorks Pictures is offering the original documentary Rain of Madness for download exclusively on the iTunes Store.

Rain of Madness, starring Jay Baruchel, Jack Black, Steve Coogan, Robert Downey Jr., Bill Hader, Nick Nolte and Ben Stiller, is a companion piece to the hit comedy Tropic Thunder, which debuted in theaters nationwide on August 13, and serves as a documentary of the making-of the feature film. It was shot on location in Hawaii, at the same locations used in the feature film, and details the demise of the fictitious cast & crew of “Tropic Thunder,” as they struggle to finish shooting their film despite numerous shooting, budgeting and casting problems.

“We wanted to do a fake documentary about the making of the movie within the movie which is called ‘Tropic Thunder’ — not the actual movie ‘Tropic Thunder.’ The fake documentary focuses on the real movie’s fake director, and what happens to the fake cast before they go into the real jungle. It’s pretty straightforward,” says Ben Stiller, one of the stars of the documentary and the director/star/producer and co-writer of Tropic Thunder.

Sony Rolls Out New iPhone-ready Car Stereos

Sony has introduced three new iPod-ready car stereos. The CDX-GT630UI features the ability to connect directly to both iPods and iPhones via USB, and Passenger Control which allows passengers to control the connected device while being charged. Other features include front, rear, and subwoofer preamp outputs, a flip-down detachable faceplate, and a 13-segment, LCD with black LED display. The CDX-GT430IP comes with a 1.5 meter cable featuring a 30-pin connector to provide full menu control and charging for iPod. It too offers Passenger Control, as well as a black LED screen and front and rear/sub preamp outputs. Finally, the CDX-GT330 offers compatibility with the $50 XA-120IP adapter to allow for charging and head unit control of iPods. Sony’s CDX-GT630UI, CDX-GT430IP and CDX-GT330 head units all include a wireless remote control, and will sell for $160, $130, and $100, respectively, when they go on sale in September. (From iLounge)