It takes more than a pandemic to keep “Saturday Night Live” off the air.
The venerable NBC late-night program will air a new “remote” episode this weekend, according to the show’s Twitter feed, despite conditions under the coronavirus pandemic that make its normal production impossible to accomplish. “SNL” typically runs live in front of an in-studio audience whose reactions lend the program much of its energy and ambience- and add an element of “anything could happen” to its proceedings.
“SNL” previously aired what it calls an “at home” episode, with the cast taping segments from the places they are residing while various states have mandated “shelter at home” policies. That broadcast included a taped introduction by Tom Hanks, a musical performance by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, a “Weekend Update” segment, and a handful of comedic sketches. One segment lampooned what various offices must be going through when employees use video-sharing site Zoom to communicate. Another highlighted featured player Chloe Fineman doing impressions of Timothee Chalamet, JoJo Siwa and “Tiger King” figure Carole Baskin. In a third, “SNL” cast member Heidi Gardner played recurring character Bailey Gismert, the teenage movie reviewer.
No information about a possible host or musical guest for this week’s broadcast was immediately available.