At last, Saturday Night Live is returning with new episodes. After a brief Thanksgiving-related hiatus, the live sketch show returns tonight, December 5th. Jason Bateman will host tonight’s episode, his second stop on the show. The Ozark star last appeared in a Season 30 episode on February 12, 2005, well over 15 years ago.
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Tonight Bateman will be joined by rising country star Morgan Wallen, who was supposed to appear earlier this year. Wallen was shelved from his initial appearance after controversial TikTok videos surfaced of him attending college parties, a violation of the show’s current COVID-related policies.
“I’m in New York City, in a hotel room, I was getting ready for SNL this Saturday, and I got a call from the show letting me know that I will no longer be able to play, and that’s because of COVID protocols, which I understand,” Wallen said in a lengthy Instagram post this October.
He continued, “I’m not positive for COVID but my actions this past weekend were pretty short-sighted, and they have obviously affected my long-term goals and my dreams. I respect the show’s decision because I know that I put them in jeopardy, and I take ownership for this. I’d like to apologize to SNL, to my fans, to my team for bringing me these opportunities, and I let them down. And on a more personal note, I think I have some growing up to do. I think I’ve lost myself a little bit. I tried to find joy in the wrong places and, I don’t know, it’s left me with less joy so I’m going to go try and work on that.”
“I’m going to take a step back from the spotlight for a little while and go work on myself. I wish I could have made country music and my fans proud this Saturday, but I respect the decision once again.”
Tonight’s episode will be the first of three straight episodes heading into an extended hiatus over Christmas. Next weekend, the December 12th episode, will feature Timothee Chalamet in his hosting debut with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band as musical guest. SNL alumnus Kristen Wiig will host the Christmas episode on December 19th, and she’ll be joined by Dua Lipa.
Live episodes of Saturday Night Live start at 11:30 p.m. Eastern on NBC.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 23: Tom Turkey by Macy's appears during 97th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 23, 2023 in New York City. Tom Turkey, the longest running title float in the Parade, is also the only self-propelled float. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Macy's, Inc.)
