Sayonara Stefon ... Bill Hader has announced he's leaving "Saturday Night Live" ... and this weekend's episode will be his last.

"It was a hard decision, but it has to happen at some point,” Hader told the New York Times ... adding, "It got to a point where I said, ‘Maybe it’s just time to go.'"

Hader has been with the show for the past 8 seasons.

The move is a big loss for the show -- which already lost Andy Samberg and Kristen Wiig last season. Seth Meyers is also set to leave next year, when he takes over "Late Night."

As for Stefon ... we'll miss ya pal.

Justin Timberlake served up his big comeback to Kanye West's diss of his new song -- and it did not disappoint ... anyone who thinks JT's too soft to battle a rapper.

Check out TMZ on TV -- click here to see your local listings!

It took a couple of weeks, but Justin Timberlake has finally responded to Kanye West's anti "Suit and Tie" rant, with a shot of his own on "SNL" last night.

It happened when JT was performing 'Suit and Tie' with Jay-Z last night -- the singer changed the lyrics from "Aww, s**t so sick, got a hit and picked up a habit" to "my hit's so sick got RAPPERS acting dramatic."

Not the strongest insult in the world ... but pretty obviously directed at Kanye West, who last month during a concert, dissed the song "I got love for Hov, but I ain't f--king with that 'Suit & Tie.'"

It ain't exactly Tupac vs. Biggie ... but gotta love the drama.

Don Pardo was conspicuously absent from the opening credits of "Saturday Night Live" last night ... and TMZ has learned it's because he recently suffered a broken hip.

"SNL" fans immediately noticed the voice that announced the cast last was NOT that of Pardo's ... despite the poor attempt at an impression.

But rest assured, Pardo is ok ... our sources say he is recovering from a broken hip and doing just fine. 

Pardo has been doing "Saturday Night Live" since the show first premiered in 1975, missing only one season along the way.

Justin Bieber used his platform as host of "Saturday Night Live" to apologize to his fans for being photographed smoking weed ... but he did it in character.

During a sketch entitled "The Miley Cyrus Show," Bieber played Miley's biggest fan. After lobbing a few insults at himself, Biebs, while still in character, says (of the real Biebs), "I also heard he got busted for smoking weed. And he's really sorry about it. And people make mistakes. And he's never gonna do it again."

TMZ posted the pics of Bieber smoking weed at a party in Newport Beach on January 2. And there are those pics of Biebs with a blunt taken a few weeks later. 

Bieber never commented directly on the pics ... until last night .. and in the third person.

Christine Ebersole is best known for her role as the Weekend Update co-anchor -- opposite Brian Doyle-Murray -- on Saturday Night Live in the early '80s. Guess what she looks like now!

Justin Bieber has given Saturday Night Live writers permission to spoof him all they want when he hosts the show Feb 9 ... and that includes pot smoking. 
 
Sources connected with NBC tell TMZ ... Justin's camp has declared NOTHING off-limits.  To the contrary, our sources say Justin himself has told producers to push him as far as they want.

Smart move ... It worked for Paris Hilton, who appeared on SNL right after her sex tape was released.  Alec Baldwin also scored right after the whole Words with Friends thing. 

FYI -- Justin's doing double duty on the show -- hosting and performing.  Wonder how they're gonna stock the green room?

The puzzle has finally been solved  -- President Obama's terrible debate performance last week was all Michelle Obama's fault ... at least according to "Saturday Night Live."

Last night SNL spoofed Obama and Romney's initial showdown -- offering one hysterical explanation for POTUS (played by Jay Pharoah) choking: he was really thinking about a last minute anniversary gift for the First Lady.

Coffee mug? Denver Bronco's sweatshirt? Bathrobe?

It's funny. Or sad ... 'cause in reality the Prez can't explain away such a sucky showing that easily.

Seth MacFarlane absolutely DESTROYED Ryan Lochte during this weekend's "Saturday Night Live" ... and while the swimming star says he hasn't had a chance to see it yet, he certainly didn't seem too pleased about it.

MacFarlane appeared as Lochte during the "Weekend Update" sketch to do a preview of the new shows on television. Seth portrayed Lochte as an ABSOLUTE IDIOT ... referring to the new show "Go On" as "Goon" (he didn't realize it was two words) and at one point randomly saying, "It feels so weird to be dry."

Lochte told us over the weekend he hasn't checked it out yet -- but judging by his tone, he probably heard how brutal it was.

If, like Lochte, you haven't seen it either ... check it out below. We give it six swims.

Seth Myers tells TMZ he's already taken himself OUT of the running to play Paul Ryan on the upcoming season of "Saturday Night Live" ... insisting the identity of new Paul imposter is a closely guarded secret.

Myers -- who's the head writer on the show -- was walking his bike in NYC this week ... did drop one obvious nugget, we're DEFINITELY getting a Mitt Romney sketch on the season premiere.

So who will take on Mitt's running mate? Probably not Fred Armisen (he already plays Barack Obama) ... or Jason Sudeikis (plays Mitt Romney) ... which leaves ...

1) Bill Hader
2) Taran Killam
3) Bobby Moynihan
4) Jay Pharoah (Um...)
5) Kenan Thompson (Yeah...)
6) Random new guy (crap shoot)

Choose wisely Seth.

Tom Davis, the comedic genius behind some classic "Saturday Night Live" skits ... died from neck and throat cancer today.

Davis and Al Franken were the comedic duo responsible for writing several of the bits that helped make Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd huge stars in the early days of 'SNL.'

Davis died at his home in a New York City suburb. He was diagnosed with cancer back in 2009.

A couple of legendary gems on Davis' 'SNL' resume include "Coneheads" and "Nick the Lounge Singer."



Davis was 59.