He’s not gone or dead, but I was just thinkin’ about him, wiki’d and learned how old he is. (91) I also learned he’s going to stop going to NY and do his announcing pre-recorded. He’s gonna die at some point, and it’s a pretty sure bet it will be before SNL does. And I cannot stand the idea of any other voice doing the announcing, it’s just wrong.
It was nice to see he’s only one of two people to have lifetime contracts with NBC, the other being Bob Hope. Good on you, Don.
Don’t die.
I’ll missed him whenever he goes too. 
Maybe they can rig up a Don Pardo voice machine like they have for Roger Ebert.
Well, to be fair, he lives in Tucson, now, so flying to New York every week can be more of a strain at his age. He did briefly record his announcements from a home studio here in Tucson in 2006, but SNL producers persuaded him to resume going to New York to do them live. So he did do SNL from 8H for five years longer than he intended.
I remember reading somewhere that Joe Piscopo subbed for him one week when Pardo was sick. Evidently Piscopo does a really good Pardo impression, so maybe he’s available?
Wow, I didn’t realize he lived in Tucson but flew to NY to do the show.
It will truly be the end of an era when he no longer announces SNL.
He’s the most consistent figure associated with the show… I think even Lorne took longer off than Don did. (Don missed one year I read on Wiki, I know Lorne left the show for at least one year as well…)
I really hope that they bust their asses to get a real sound-alike when he can’t do it anymore. It will be terrible to hear someone else.
I have heard that each successive SNL “impressions guy” has had to master Pardo because quite often he isn’t up to do doing the announcing.
Yeah, I recall once where there was a voice that was supposed to be Pardo, but it was clearly someone doing an imitation, perhaps Darrell Hammond.
Honestly, I don’t think that’s necessary. It’s actually probably better that the next announcer have his (or her) own distinct voice.
I think Don Pardo did a short cameo on 30 Rock. FWIW I do a great Don Pardo impression.
How much does he do on the show? The opening is all I remember.