Live from New York, it’s… a total jerk.
Saturday Night Live is known for bringing in A-list stars for hosts, but according to cast member Bowen Yang, the cast has had experiences with the guest stars that are no laughing matter. Including one instance where a past host reduced several people to tears while they were preparing for the week’s live show.
“This man who—or, this person, this host,” Yang began on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen’s Aug. 11 episode, opting not to name the host in question, “made multiple cast members cry on Wednesday before the table read because he hated the ideas.”
Overall, the Wicked star, who joined the cast in 2018, had one word to describe the experience: “Terrible.”
The hit show returns to NBC on Sept. 28 for its milestone 50th season, and while no upcoming celebrity guests have been announced, there’s plenty of speculation. Take, for instance, Olympian Ilona Maher, who jokingly threw her hat in the ring during a recent trip to 30 Rock for Late Night With Seth Meyers Aug. 12. As the bronze medal-winning rugby player joked on Instagram, “At NBC trying to sneak my way into hosting SNL.”
Last season of the show featured plenty of star power with Timothée Chalamet, Jason Momoa, Adam Driver, Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Jacob Elordi, Dakota Johnson, and Ayo Edebiri tackling the task. And of course, there were plenty of familiar faces, returning for a hosting stint like Pete Davidson, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and more.
And while hosting SNL is a prestigious honor, it’s not always as glamorous as it might appear. Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney, who hosted the show in March, previously shared how her opening monologue went awry.
“During the monologue, my mouth dried up so bad,” she told E! News shortly after the appearance. “I felt like my lips were stuck to my teeth and I was trying to lick my teeth. Oh my god, it was horrible and I’m shaking the entire time. It was a lot."