Dear Gossips,

Saturday Night Live is kicking off its milestone 50th season next week. And it also happens to be an election year. For the show, then, the timing couldn’t be better. Because SNL’s ratings always go up during elections. It happened in 2016/17 and again in 2020/21 and it of course always helps when there are candidates to satirise. And of course someone fresh to satirise.

When season 49 wrapped last spring, JD Vance had yet to emerge as the Republican vice presidential nominee. And it’s not like he hasn’t given comedians all kinds of material over the last couple of months. There is no doubt that he’ll be a target – all four major nominees will be targeted; it’s long been confirmed that Maya Rudolph will be playing MVP Kamala Harris – so this is one of the surprises we’ll be looking forward to when SNL premieres on September 28. But what we do know now is the guest host for the premiere episode. In fact, we know the guest hosts and the musical guests for its first five episodes:

Jean Smart on week one? Brilliant. Not only because of the Deborah Vance connection but also, Jean Smart broke through on television – from Designing Women to Frasier in the 80s and 90s and her steady presence on so many series over the last 20 years on 24 to Watchmen and Mare of Easttown and now Hacks. It’s fitting that one of the longest running television shows in history is starting its 50th anniversary with a television legend on that stage.

After Jean, it’ll be Nate Bargatze coming back for the second time. High hopes for this one. And this is also one for those who keep on with the boring old “SNL isn’t funny anymore” thing. SNL was very, very, very funny when Nate hosted last year, producing an instant classic sketch: “Washington’s Dream”. I know I talk about this sketch a lot. But it’s such a beauty, and it represents the possibility of SNL. Because, yes, there are a LOT of flop episodes. But the reason we the devoted keep watching is because you never know when something like “Weights and Measures” comes out of nowhere.

Back to the schedule and the election though, it’ll be four episodes straight until October 19 and then a one week break so no new episode on October 26, which means no Halloween episode, and then John Mulaney hosting for the sixth time, with musical guest Chappell Roan, on November 2, just three days before the election on November 5.

The host for the post-election episode on November 9 is the one to keep an eye out for because after the last two elections it was Dave Chappelle. And, well, I’m pretty sure I don’t have to explain why that wouldn’t go over the same this year.

For now, though, let’s look forward to that first cold open. Maya, right? Is has to be Maya. Maya in a crisp suit with her hair blown out and… well… those facial expressions (and the memes!) from the debate? Maya’s take on the facial expressions is coming very soon.

Yours in gossip,

Lainey

Maya Rudolph Gossip

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