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After throwing us for a loop earlier today by giving us a chance to check out this weekend’s host’s “other life” as a rebel skater (more on that in a minute), Lorne Michaels & NBC’s Saturday Night Live got back on track with its weekly routine. That means we get a chance to check out Brendan Gleeson (who’s hosting and musical guest Willow) in the middle of today’s read-thru. But that’s not all because we also have some screencaps from the show’s Instagram Stories showing off what the SNL cast was up to during the table rehearsal session, too:
For a chance to see Gleeson turn the SNL studio into his own skate park, check out the clip below that was released earlier today:
And don’t forget that on October 15th, we have Megan Thee Stallion doing double duty as both host & musical guest. So with that in mind, here’s a look at SNL welcoming Gleeson and Willow:
Lorne Michaels on Saturday Night Live Season 48, SNL’s Future & More
Speaking with The New York Times, Michaels addressed the casting changes, labeling the upcoming season as “a year of reinvention” that could lead to some “exhilarating” change. He also had some reassuring words for “Weekend Update” fans and teased what’s in store for SNL’s big 50th-anniversary celebration. Here are some of the highlights:
COVID-19 Fallout Resulted in Much Larger SNL Cast Than Usual: “The pandemic had put us in this position where no one could really leave because there were no jobs. And at the same time, if I don’t add new people every year, then the show isn’t the show. There have to be new people, for both our sake and also for the audience.”
Michaels Believes Cast Departures are Good Things for SNL: “We got to a point where we had a lot of people, and people weren’t getting enough playing time. The way the series has survived is by that level of renewal. The price of success is that people go off and do other things; their primary obligation is to their talent and to keep pushing that. And there’s something so much better about the show when all that matters is the show. There’s a time to say goodbye, and there’s a natural time for it, but the natural time just got interfered with by the pandemic.”
… Except with Colin Jost, Michael Che & “Weekend Update”: “Particularly, coming into a midterm election, I just need that part [‘Weekend Update’ with Che & Jost] to be as solid as it is.”
SNL’s 50th Anniversary/Season? Think Big: “The 50th will be a big event. We’ll bring everyone back from all 50 years and hosts and all of that. It will be a very emotional and very strong thing. There won’t be as many plus-ones, I can tell you that much.”