On May 8, 2021, Technoking and Imperator of Mars Elon Musk will be making his comedy debut, hosting Saturday Night Live on NBC. Confirmation of his hosting is still getting many people very hot under the collar.
Reactions to the announcement were quick to appear and decidedly polarized: fans and supporters of Musk rejoiced at the news, while critics said it was confirmation of selling out for ratings. After all, for all his merits, Musk is a billionaire with many controversial opinions he’s not shy of voicing in public, and what good can come of it?
Even SNL cast members voiced their displeasure at having Musk on the show, one way or the other. Among them, Bowen Yang, Aidy Bryant, Michael Che, and writer Andrew Dismukes posted messages on social media, showing or hinting that they thought the host choice was a very bad one.
According to Page Six, if any one of these SNL regulars or others find the job of sharing the screen with Musk too much to bear, they can simply opt out of this week’s episode. “Speaking historically, if a cast member has been that unhappy, they don’t have to do it,” a source tells the publication. “[SNL boss Lorne Michaels] won’t ever make them do anything they don’t want to do.”
The same source says that Musk is very much a “showman,” which is probably a comeback to all those claiming Michaels and NBC sold out for bigger ratings. After all, SNL is hardly in the habit of bringing tech guys or public figures that are too controversial on board.
On a positive note, the report notes that not one of the SNL regulars has yet announced an intention to skip this week’s show. Good or bad, Musk’s appearance on the show will be history in the making. And, certainly, the ratings are bound to go up, especially since Mr. Technoking has made it clear that he has no plan of toning it down for the sake of the cameras.
Even SNL cast members voiced their displeasure at having Musk on the show, one way or the other. Among them, Bowen Yang, Aidy Bryant, Michael Che, and writer Andrew Dismukes posted messages on social media, showing or hinting that they thought the host choice was a very bad one.
According to Page Six, if any one of these SNL regulars or others find the job of sharing the screen with Musk too much to bear, they can simply opt out of this week’s episode. “Speaking historically, if a cast member has been that unhappy, they don’t have to do it,” a source tells the publication. “[SNL boss Lorne Michaels] won’t ever make them do anything they don’t want to do.”
The same source says that Musk is very much a “showman,” which is probably a comeback to all those claiming Michaels and NBC sold out for bigger ratings. After all, SNL is hardly in the habit of bringing tech guys or public figures that are too controversial on board.
On a positive note, the report notes that not one of the SNL regulars has yet announced an intention to skip this week’s show. Good or bad, Musk’s appearance on the show will be history in the making. And, certainly, the ratings are bound to go up, especially since Mr. Technoking has made it clear that he has no plan of toning it down for the sake of the cameras.
Let’s find out just how live Saturday Night Live really is ????
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 25, 2021