These famous Philadelphia-adjacent folks are hosting Saturday Night Live this season
One just won an NBA championship. Another just broke two Guinness World Records for a one-night-only comedy special.
If Jalen Brunson, who just won the NBA championship for the New York Knicks, and Shane Gillis, who broke two Guinness World Records for a one-night-only comedy show at Lincoln Financial Field, weren’t already having a good year — they’re now gracing the stage of Saturday Night Live’s 52nd season.
Brunson, who is known to many locals as the Villanova superstar who brought home two NCAA national championships to the Philadelphia-adjacent school, will host the season premiere on Sept. 26 with girl pop group Katseye as musical guest.
Gillis, a comedian from Mechanicsburg, Pa., who got his start in Philadelphia, will host episode three on Oct. 10 alongside Spanish singer-songwriter Rosalía. Gillis cocreated the West Chester-filmed Netflix series Tires, and was at one point hired and fired from SNL.
SNL is charging forward after more than a half century in the American cultural zeitgeist, bringing celebs into 30 Rockefeller to flub, break, and laugh through the jokes.
Pennsylvania showed up in a big way last season, too, with Quakertown’s Sabrina Carpenter, Downingtown’s Miles Teller, and West Philadelphia’s Colman Domingo (the latter of whom was honored by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker on July 4).
Joining the first slate of episodes, announced on Wednesday, are actress Dakota Johnson with Baltimore rockers Turnstile on Oct. 3. Inde Navarrette, a breakout star from indie horror film Obsession, will host on Halloween, with Gracie Abrams as musical guest.
SNL’s 52nd season will premiere Sept. 26 at 11:30 p.m. Philadelphia time on NBC. Stream episodes the day after they air on Peacock.
