Updated: Palin scheduled for 'SNL' 10/25?

Well, despite all the rumors and expectations — no Sarah Palin on last night’s prime time special for “Saturday Night Live.” But the New York Post reports Palin has been booked on the regular “SNL” for Oct. 25.

Obama has booked a half hour of primetime to address the nation on Oct. 29, the anniversary of Black Tuesday. Palin apparently will try to yuk it up before that with the “SNL” gang.

The NYPost report says the booking is “confirmed. Done deal. Sketches are being sketched as we speak,” and that a rehearsal is “penciled in” for Oct. 24. But spokesfolks at NBC insist they cannot confirm Palin’s appearance, and the show simply “has an open invitation to all the candidates to appear.”

The first rumors, reported a few days ago by Sun-Times columnist Bill Zwecker, had Palin coming on to spoof Tina Fey, who’s revived “SNL’s” ratings by spoofing Palin. Now Palin’s apparently just going to just be herself. Which, as we’ve seen, can be pretty darn funny, you betcha.

Still, last night was somehow refreshing to experience and enjoy a half hour of topical comedy without all the Palin-centric parody.

Watch the show here, and keep an eye out in the beginning for Bill Murray‘s cameo — asking a question seemingly most important to Chicagoans right now …

What does all this actually mean to the election? Anything at all? Apparently, Fey’s spoofs of the VP candidate have had the same effect as a typical attack ad on undecided voters.