"Saturday Night Live," NBC's Emmy Award-winning late-night comedy showcase, began its 33rd season on September 29, 2007 (11:30 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. ET) for another year of laughs, surprises and great performances.

Over the last thirty years, "SNL" has launched the careers of many of the brightest comedy performers of a generation and as "The New York Times" noted on the occasion of the show's Emmy winning 25th Anniversary special in 1999: "In defiance of both time and show business convention, "SNL" [is] still the most pervasive influence on the art of comedy in contemporary culture." At the close of the century, "Saturday Night Live" placed seventh on Entertainment Weekly's list of the Top 100 Entertainers of the past fifty years.

Thus far, the program has won 19 Emmy Awards and been nominated for more than 80. "SNL" has been honored with the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award and cited as "truly a national institution." Most recently, "Saturday Night Live" was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame by the National Association of Broadcasters. The show continues to garner the highest ratings of any late-night television program, entertaining millions each week.

"SNL's" impressive lineup of guest hosts last season featured some of the biggest stars of film, television and music including: Ben Affleck, Queen Latifah, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Liam Neeson, Luke Wilson, Colin Farrell, Robert DeNiro, Topher Grace, Paul Giamatti, Hilary Swank, Paris Hilton, Jason Bateman, David Spade, Ashton Kutcher, Cameron Diaz, New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady, Johnny Knoxville, Will Ferrell and Lindsay Lohan.

"SNL's" debut in 1975 was named #4 on the VH-1/Entertainment Weekly list of Greatest Rock & Roll Moments on Television. The show continued its unparalleled tradition of featuring both blockbuster and breakout musical acts hosting such performers as Nelly, Ashlee Simpson, Eminem, Modest Mouse, U2, Scissor Sisters, Destiny's Child, The Killers, Ludacris, 50 Cent, Keane, Kelly Clarkson, Jack Johnson, Gwen Stefani, Green Day, Beck, System of a Down, Queens of the Stone Age and Coldplay.

"Saturday Night Live," which premiered October 11, 1975, is broadcast live from NBC's famed Studio 8H in New York City's Rockefeller Center. The program is a production of Broadway Video in association with SNL Studios. Lorne Michaels is the executive producer.