is likely to strike a new tone as it looks toward a in its first episode since his election victory.
Standup comic and actor Bill Burr will host for the second time with Mk.gee as musical guest.
But most eyes will be on the NBC sketch institution's cold open, and the signal it gives about what four more years will mean for the generally liberal-leaning show, other than steady employment for cast member James Austin Johnson, who does a Trump impression that has become definitive.
In the first five episodes of its 50th season, which has seen a , the show openings made Vice President Kamala Harris 鈥� played by returning cast member 鈥� the central star, culminating last week in an appearance by Harris herself, with a giddy pre-election energy in the air.
This Saturday night could be a little less live.
After Trump's first election victory in 2016, , who played Hillary Clinton on the show, appeared as the losing candidate sitting at the piano and sang an almost entirely somber-and-serious version of Leonard Cohen's 鈥淗allelujah,鈥� changing only one verse from the best-known versions of the song.
鈥淎nd even though it all went wrong, I'll stand before the lord of song with nothing on my tongue but 鈥楬allelujah,鈥� McKinnon sang in what became a national moment of catharsis for those on the losing side.
After finishing, McKinnon said, with a shaky voice, 鈥淚'm not giving up and neither should you" before delivering the obligatory "live from New York, it's Saturday night!"
Standup comic hosted that episode. One sketch featured him and another Black comic-actor, Chris Rock, watching election returns with white liberals, who are shocked by the results, unlike their Black guests.
鈥淭his is the most shameful thing America has ever done,鈥� white cast member Beck Bennett says at the end. then look at each other and break into laughter.
Chappelle also hosted the post-election 鈥淪NL鈥� in 2020, but this time that honor goes to another comic, Burr, who is currently on a major standup tour and is set to join Kieran Culkin and Bob Odenkirk on Broadway this spring on a
Burr's politics, at least as expressed through his comedy and frequent guesting on podcasts and talk shows, may be best described as angrily centrist. But other than the fake news of 鈥淲eekend Update,鈥� the show tends to turn away from politics after the opening.
Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press
