Saturday Night Live had some fun with anticipation over Sunday’s Breaking Bad finale with help from Aaron Paul in a surprise cameo. Paul, who played Walter White’s drug compatriot Jesse Pinkman in the Emmy-winning AMC series, appeared in the opening segment of the new SNL season. He portrayed one of several average Americans joining President Barack Obama to testify to the need for healthcare coverage. Paul mentioned a “friend”who badly needed health care when he got sick with cancer. “The man was a teacher with a family,” interjected Obama, played by SNL cast member Jay Pharoah. “He did what any of us would have done,” Paul said. “He started cooking meth.” The Breaking Bad series finale aired Sunday.
Stevie Wonder gave an electrifying performance at New York’s Central Park in front of thousands of fans and several world leaders Saturday, singing his hits and calling for an end to poverty worldwide at the Global Citizen Festival. Bono gave a funky, rousing introduction to Wonder, who headlined the second annual concert. Wonder wowed audience members, who danced and sang along to songs including “Superstition” and “ Isn’t She Lovely.” Wonder has been a United Nations Messenger of Peace with a special focus on disabilities since 2009. Messengers have recognized talents in the arts, academia and sports and help bring attention to U.N. work. The Global Citizen Festival coincides with the U.N. General Assembly. Fans earned free tickets for helping spread the word or volunteering to help end world poverty. World leaders who attended included Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Front Section, Pages 2 on 09/30/2013