In the Season 49 premiere of “Saturday Night Live,” there was no skit. Instead, host Pete Davidson began by addressing the distressing events in Israel and Gaza. Davidson, who lost his father in a terrorist attack when he was seven, felt compelled to share his thoughts on the matter.
He stated, “You might wonder, why listen to Pete Davidson on this topic? Well, in many ways, I can relate because of my personal experience. I’ve witnessed many heart-wrenching images of children suffering, both Israeli and Palestinian. It brought me back to a very dark place. Nobody, especially children, should endure such suffering.”
Davidson recalled a moment from his childhood when his mother tried to cheer him up after his father’s death. She thought she was getting him a Disney movie, but it turned out to be Eddie Murphy’s stand-up special, ‘Delirious.’ As they played it in the car on the way home, his mother attempted to take it away upon hearing the content. However, she noticed something important. For the first time in a long time, Pete was laughing. He admitted not comprehending why comedy could alleviate pain, but sometimes, humor is the only way forward through tragedy.
He expressed his sympathy for those whose lives have been devastated and affirmed his commitment to finding humor in the face of adversity.
Pete Davidson’s monologue! #SNLPremiere pic.twitter.com/Q4G3ZBupoJ
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) October 15, 2023
Returning to “SNL” this season are cast members Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, Punkie Johnson, Ego Nwodim, Kenan Thompson, and Bowen Yang, along with “Weekend Update” co-anchors Michael Che and Colin Jost. James Austin Johnson and Sarah Sherman have been promoted to regular cast status, while featured players Marcello Hernandez, Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow, and Devon Walker are also returning.
“SNL” airs live across the U.S. simultaneously, including in primetime on the west coast. The show remains one of the most-watched entertainment programs on TV, particularly among viewers aged 18 to 49, a demographic highly valued by advertisers.
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) October 15, 2023
NBCUniversal has already initiated discussions with advertisers regarding sponsorships for the show’s upcoming 50th season, set to premiere in the fall of 2024. In preparation for this milestone, “SNL” executive producer Lorne Michaels presented plans to approximately 100 advertisers, including retrospectives and a documentary about the program.
Despite the ongoing strike by SAG-AFTRA with the studios, “SNL” cast members have been permitted to return to the production. SAG-AFTRA clarified that cast members on “Saturday Night Live” are working under the Network Code agreement, which is not subject to the strike rules, and they fully support the cast in fulfilling their contractual obligations.
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