Actually Live From New York: ‘SNL’ Returns To The Studio In Time For Election Season

Topline

NBC’s longtime sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live will return to its New York City studio for new episodes beginning October 3, according to reports, which means that in grand SNL tradition, the lampooning and skewering of politicians will also be back in time for the dramatic finale of the 2020 election season after the show faced backlash for its handling of Trump in the previous election.

Lorne Michaels and cast and crew of 'Saturday Night Live' accept the Outstanding Variety Sketch ... [+] Series Emmy in September 2019.

Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Key Facts

SNL’s 46th season premiere takes place just a few days after the first scheduled presidential debate between Joe Biden and President Trump on September 29.

Few details are available about how the show plans to proceed safely in Studio 8H, but Variety reported July 20 that show creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels was looking at a “controlled” environment, likely meaning a limited audience or no audience.

Trump hosted SNL in November 2015 during his first presidential campaign, and the appearance drew protests outside 30 Rockefeller Center—NBC’s headquarters—and was roundly panned by critics despite drawing the show’s highest ratings in two years.

Former cast member Taran Killam, who parodied Trump before Alec Baldwin’s infamous impersonation, spoke out against the real Trump’s hosting gig, calling it “embarrassing” and more “shameful as time goes on” in a 2017 radio interview.

SNL alum and Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon also ruffled feathers when he tousled Trump’s iconic coiff on the air in September 2016, with critics accusing Fallon of normalizing Trump; Fallon later said he “made a mistake.”

As Trump’s presidency has gone on, Baldwin’s impersonation has seemed to get under the real president’s skin, as Trump has tweeted out numerous attacks on both the actor and SNL.

What To Watch For

Who—if anyone—gets tapped to host for the premiere. Actor Daniel Craig was last to host before coronavirus sent the cast and crew home in March.

Big Number

At least 12. That’s how many times Trump has tweeted attacks against SNL since his hosting gig, according to an online database of his tweets.

Key Background

SNL has a long tradition of parodying U.S. presidents and other politicians. Notable imitations in recent years include current cast member Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton, Curb Your Enthusiasm star Larry David as a pitch-perfect Bernie Sanders, actress Melissa McCarthy as short-lived White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and SNL alum Tina Fey as former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. But Trump’s ascendancy to the president was first treated as comedy fodder by SNL’s writers and NBC executives during the runup to 2016’s election. NBC cut all professional ties with Trump in June 2016, about six months before his SNL appearance, citing his disparaging remarks about immigrants. The network was also home to The Apprentice, the reality show competition that launched Trump into a new level of fame and cited for helping to perpetuate him as a successful businessman.

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