On tonight’s episode of Saturday Night Live, Tina Fey filled in for an absent Colin Jost—trading Weekend Update jokes with Michael Che from the front of the theater, with Tom Hanks, Kenan Thompson, Paul Rudd and the show’s skeleton crew serving as their audience.
Given the fact that it’s almost Christmas, Che thought he should start the segment off with some good news. “O.J. Simpson has been released from parole two months early because of good behavior,” he noted. “Said O.J., ‘I can’t believe I got out of parole early, but I did it. I did it.’ “
Fey then noted that Time magazine has named Elon Musk its Person of the Year. “You can read more about it on your phone,” she said, “while your Tesla is self-driving you into a lake.”
Che later mentioned that a judge in Louisiana has taken a leave of absence after being caught on video using the N-word, “which is the kind of story that makes me wonder, why are me and Kenan the only cast members here?”
Up next for discussion by Fey was a history-making mission on the part of NASA, which saw one of its spacecraft touch the sun by flying through its upper atmosphere. “NASA was finally able to complete the impossible mission,” she deadpanned, “by going at night.”
Fey then touched on Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer getting fired hours after being accused of kicking a player. “Worse,” she said, “the player was somehow returned for a touchdown.”
Wrapping up tonight’s edition of Update was Che, who discussed reports that Bruce Springsteen has sold the rights to his music catalog for more than $500 million. “So hopefully,” he jabbed, “he finally has the money to move out of New Jersey.”
Tonight’s highly unorthodox, audience-free episode of SNL was hosted by Paul Rudd. While Charli XCX was initially slated to serve as musical guest, she was forced to bow out of the show due to rapidly shifting Covid protocols, with cases surging in New York.
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