AceShowbiz -

Children's choir opened "Saturday Night Live" on December 15, a day after a gunman killed twenty children and six adults in Newtown, Connecticut. The tribute strayed away from the humor-based show but bring as well cheer to the show's Christmas episode.

"Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" the smiling children shouted at the end of the song. The performance was the only reference to the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in the episode guest hosted by Martin Short.

Christmas celebration and the chorus, however, returned later with musical guest Paul McCartney singing "Wonderful Christmas Time". McCartney also collaborated with the surviving members of Nirvana; Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, and Pat Smear, on "Cut Me Some Slack". The new song was debuted three days earlier at "12-12-12: The Concert For Sandy Relief".

"SNL" particularly packed the episode this time with stars such as Alec Baldwin, Tom Hanks, Kristen Wiig, Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey dropping by. Samuel L. Jackson later appeared in a sketch titled "What Up With That" with Kenan Thompson, dropping some possible expletives on live TV. But the actor has defended himself on Twitter, writing "I only said FUH not F**K! K was sposed to cut off da BULLSHIT, blew it!!"

On related news, it has just been announced that "Silver Linings Playbook" star Jennifer Lawrence will be the guest host for January 19 episode, the first in the year 2013. The musical guest is The Lumineers.