Lizzo replaces Yeah Yeah Yeahs for the 2022 final

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With the co-hosts Steve Martin & Martin runs (Only murders in the building) and musical guest Brandi Carlile Currently live on our screens for the holiday episode, it looks like we have a change in next week’s mid-season finale of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Whereas Austin Butler (Elvis) is always ready to welcome, musical guest the Yeah yeah yeah is no longer listed. Going into a commercial break, the brief promo now has Lizzo helping to run the show until the end of the year.

Steve Martin and Martin Short’s “Saturday Night” Live Week

In the first onstage promo, Short shows an appreciation for Martin’s “high-end” cologne. Following this, Martin, Short & Strong organize an impromptu performance to audition to be Carlile’s replacement. Not a good shot. Finally, Short explains that while there can be two hosts, both are also triple threats. Although Martin’s definition of “triple threat” doesn’t quite match what we expected…

And here’s a look at a brief blooper from this week’s promo:

Here’s a look at Martin & Short’s holding ground while playing (along with looks at the SNL cast):

In this week’s midweek skit, the SNL actor Michael Longfellow gets a chance to meet his comedy heroes…and in doing so, we uncover the secret to Martin and Short’s close working relationship. So, with that in mind, here’s a look at today’s midweek sketch, and don’t forget that the December 17th midseason finale will host Austin Butler (Elvis) and musical guest on Yeah yeah yeah:

And here’s a throwback to the SNL welcome video for Martin, Short & Carlile that kicked off the week (followed by a throwback to some thoughts on the season and beyond from the SNL creator Lorne Michaels):

NBC’s SNL Season 48 includes Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Punkie Johnson, Colin Jost, Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow, Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman, Cecily Strong, Kenan Thompson, Devon Walkerand Bowen Yang. Executive produced by Michaels, SNL is directed by Liz Patrickwith alum Darrell Hammond announcing. Based in Rockefeller Center’s Studio 8H, the long-running late-night comedy and musical sketch series is produced by SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video.

Lorne Michaels on SNL Season 48, the future of SNL and more

Talk with The New York Times, Michaels addressed the casting changes, calling the upcoming season a “year of reinvention” that could lead to some “exhilarating” changes. He also had some reassuring words for “Weekend Update” fans and teased what’s in store for SNL’s big 50th anniversary celebration. Here are some important points:

COVID-19 Fallout Caused SNL Stream Much Bigger Than Usual: “The pandemic had put us in this position where nobody could really leave because there were no jobs. And at the same time, if I don’t add new people every year, then the show does not It’s not the show. It’s got to be new people, both for us and for the audience.”

Michaels believes cast departures are good for SNL“We got to a point where we had a lot of people, and people didn’t have enough playing time. The way the show has survived is at this level of renewal. The price of success is that people go off and do other things; their first obligation is to show talent and keep pushing it. And there’s something so much better about the show when all that matters is the show. There’s there’s a time to say goodbye, and there’s a natural time for that, but the natural time has just been disrupted by the pandemic.”

…Except with Colin Jost, Michael Che & “Weekend Update”“Especially with a midterm election coming up, I just need that part [‘Weekend Update’ with Che & Jost] be as solid as he is.”

SNL’s 50th anniversary/season? think big: “The 50th will be a big event. We will bring back everyone from all 50s and hosts and all that. It will be a very emotional and very strong thing. There will not be as many plus-ones, I can tell you the same.”