Darrell Hammond signs on as KFC's Colonel Sanders

KFC has cast "Saturday Night Live" alumnus Darrell Hammond as fried-chicken pitchman Colonel Sanders, Newsday contributor Frank Lovece reports. KFC yesterday introduced Hammond, 59, as the Kentucky colonel, with TV commercials beginning Monday and already available online. KFC founder Harland Sanders, who died in 1980 at age 90, had appeared as himself in commercials and ads for many years. "It's an honor to bring to life such an iconic figure," Hammond, who has remained with "SNL" as its announcer, said in a statement, "and it doesn't hurt that KFC is paying me in chicken [which, at the time, sounded like a good idea because I was very hungry that day]."