Debra Wilson and Jill-Michele Melean, among others, will be performing in "Laugh at L.A.," a unique comedy show that will combine pre-taped comedy sketches with live performances by some of the hottest new comics. According to this article, former child star Todd Bridges ("Different Strokes") will serve as the celebrity host of the event. (One will probably elect to use the word celebrity very loosely in this context.) Debra is also listed as one of the show's producers--yes, as Debra Wilson Skelton, thank you very much. Here is a brief summary from the official "Laugh at L.A." site:

"LAUGH AT LA is the platform for rising and established comics on the West Coast. Hosted at the elite TATOU Night Club, in downtown Los Angeles, Laugh at LA promises to provide a multi-faceted evening of entertainment. Combining pre-taped comedy sketches with the hottest new comics are just a few of the highlights adding to the night of laughs.

Our celebrity host opens with a brief set before introducing the line up of the evening's comics. The final comedian will be a headliner well-known comic from stage and screen.

This fantastic night of hilarity will be capped off with a live musical performance by a chart-topping artist. Audiences will leave Laugh at LA only to return the following week in search of more exciting comedy and music."

The first "Laugh at L.A." show kicks off Tuesday, October 9th. Tatou's doors will open at 10:00pm EST (7:00pm PST), and the show itself will begin at 12:00am EST (9:00pm PST). There is a $20 cover charge, no doubt a mere formality for devoted Debra and Jill fans. Check here for information on upcoming shows. If you live in or are visiting the Los Angeles, CA, area, then can you possibly pass up this fun-filled evening? What you talkin' 'bout, Willis? Go support these fine "MADtv" alumni, and please write up a report for us if you get the chance to attend!

Thanks go out to MOdonna for the scoop.

Jill Michele Melean has recently landed a spot on a new ABC family pilot. In "Mud Show" Jill will be playing a character she can identify with, as her character is "latina, funny and ay que sexy!" (her words, not mine). The only difference is that Jill will be playing a female mechanic. The show, which has the same executive producers that brought you "Fat Actress" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is currently in pre-production.

You can visit Jill's official site www.JillyOnline.com if you would like to see the exact same information in her own words. Stay tuned for updates.

Anyone miss Debra's hilarious portrayal of celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Whitney Houston from her days on MADtv? Well tune into E! this October to see all new Oprah and Whitney sketches as they count down the 101 Craziest TV Moments. Debra recently filmed a number of sketches that poke fun at actual moments on the countdown. She mentioned filming two Oprah sketches, one of which spoofing the episode in which Tom Cruise was jumping on the couch. She also filmed a Whitney Houston sketch which is a parody of Being Bobby Brown. In addition, she was also asked to comment on these moments as the character she was playing. I'm sure these are fairly short, but it sounds pretty cool. Here's a quick summary of the mini series taken from eonline.com:

Think Drew Barrymore's breast-flashing desk dance for David Letterman will make the cut? What about Janet Jackson's Super Bowl Sunday wardrobe malfunction? Tune in for five one-hour installments as we count down to the most outrageous small-screen snafus of all time.

The five-part series premieres Sunday October 16th at 10pm on E! Entertainment Television. I do not know which parts of the countdown will have Debra stuff in them, I guess we'll just have to watch to find out. If you're a fan of Debra's work on MADtv, be sure not to miss this one.

Thanks to Debra herself for the update!

EDIT: Jill-Michele Melean also makes an appearance in the series. For those of you who have only seen part of the series or none at all, it will repeat all five 1hr episodes again on both Sunday, October 23rd and Wednesday, October 26th. Video clip available here.

According to prnewswire.com, Jill-Michele Meleán and Pablo Francisco will be performers at the 3rd Annual Reyes of Comedy Night at the Warner Theatre in Washington D.C. on September 14th at 7:30 to 10:00pm.

Step aside policy experts, politicians and corporate executives... it's time for the nation's rising comedic stand-ups to take Hispanic Heritage Month's center stage and turn one of Washington, DC's most prestigious venues into a comedic celebration of Latino life. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute's (CHCI) 3rd Annual Reyes of Comedy Night, co-produced by Si TV, will feature rising and established comedians looking at life through Latino eyes. The result ... funny story-telling of Latino idiosyncrasies, traditions, and why we are the way we are. No Member of Congress, president and CEO, or dignitary will be safe from their humor.

Performing comedians:

Pablo Francicso -- His grimly narrated action-movie preview with Arnold Schwarzenegger as a tortilla vendor targeted by the mob will have the crowd falling out of their seats.

Jill-Michele Melean -- The first Latina to grace the MADtv stage, the half-Bolivian, half-Irish Miami native will have people spitting ice cubes back into their drinks and slapping their knees waiting for her next joke.

For more information, visit chci.org.

I recently e-mailed former cast member Jill-Michele Melean about her departure, and discovered in depth the reasons why she was let go. She told me that I could tell the fans the real reason that she is no longer a part of the cast. Here is a snippet of the e-mail:

I had a wonderful time at MADtv but as a Latina and knowing that 85% of the viewing audience in Latino, I wanted to give the audience a smart Latin recurring character. I did not want to do something degrading and downplaying to the culture. I stood up for those beliefs and they didn't get it. The frustration built and Dick Blasucci (one of the executive producers) made the final decision on my departure. At first I was sad but I know I ultimately made it happen. I'm proud of my beliefs and it has already opened many other doors for me. I'm continuing to tour the country as a stand-up comic and in meetings with other executives for my own show. MADtv was just the beginning of my nat'l exposure.

The producers at MAD probably didn't think that it would be very funny to have a "smart Latina" as a recurring character. Many MADtv characters are poking fun at certain groups of people, and Jill obviously did not feel comfortable with that. I think it is great that she stood firm in her beliefs, even if it ultimately got her fired. 

Former MADtv cast member Jill-Michele Melean will star in the movie "Hunting of Man. Jill will play the role of "Ingrid", one of the most important characters in the plot. Here's a summary of the plot from IMDB:

Hunting of Man: A universal story with Latino characters told in an unconventional way (like Forrest Gump and Amadeus) about a man who's trying to keep his hot-headed younger brother from carrying out revenge. Directed by Joe Menendez.

That wasn't very descriptive, but if anybody has extra info on the movie, please let me know. We all hope Jill has a happy and prolific career outside of MADtv.

Thanks to koolboee cdmo87, who e-mailed MADtv cast member Jill-Michele Melean about her reduced presence on the show. Her response is as follows:

Hey Ian!

I had a great time on MADtv. I did nine episodes with the show but I will not be returning. I'm developing my own show for television and doing films. Thanks for being a fan and I'll keep everyone updated on my site!

It is still unclear whether or not she had done work in some future unaired episodes before her departure, or if the nine specified appearances include her work as a featured cast member last season. I know that this has been posted in the forum already, but I wanted to post it on the main news site. Thanks again for the info, Ian!

That's right -- Planet MADtv is the first site to bring you the finalized season eight cast! But rather than waste your precious time with more rambling, let's get right into it:

Departing Cast: Alex Borstein, Andrew Daly, Will Sasso, Kathryn Fiore, Taran Killam.
Returning Cast: Frank Caliendo, Mo Collins, Bobby Lee, Michael McDonald, Jill-Michele Melean, Aries Spears, Stephnie Weir, Debra Wilson.
New Featured Players: Ike Barinholtz, Simon Helberg, Josh Meyers (Seth's brother), Ron Pederson.

Final Cast: Frank Caliendo, Mo Collins, Bobby Lee, Michael McDonald, Jill-Michele Melean, Aries Spears, Stephnie Weir, Debra Wilson, Ike Barinholtz, Simon Helberg, Josh Meyers, Ron Pederson.

And there you have it, straight from the source. Be sure to tune in to MADtv's season premiere this Saturday!

Thanks to Keepsakers, Zac_In_Au, and madislove for making this possible.