Selena Gomez urged to inventory her pants ahead of SNL hosting debut
Will the show chop the roof off a Suburban or throw up in a Birkin? Only time—and Post Malone's performance—will tell
Selena Gomez is hosting Saturday Night Live for the first time this week, and in the promo clips, she engages amusingly with cast members Aidy Bryant and Bowen Yang and musical guest Post Malone.
In the first clip, Bryant attempts to categorize them as two pop stars and two comedy actors, but the record is corrected: Gomez reminds us that she also acts, and Yang claims he prefers drama. (Somehow, we knew that, Bowen—nice work on the “Chuck E. Cheese” sketch last week, btw.) Aidy Bryant puts them all in their place, as is her thing—note how even in a comedy burp like this, she manages to steal even the moments when she’s not speaking.
Gomez rose to fame via Disney productions, which could give the show some fodder to play with (often fruitful—I’m reminded of “The Real Housewives of Disney” from years back). Most recently and visibly, she has a lead role on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, acquitting herself well opposite certified comedy legends (and friends of SNL) Martin Short and Steve Martin. Will this portend a cameo from either Martin? Would be nice to see them again; it’s been a while, and their walk-ons rarely miss.
Gomez also has her own online cooking show, which could serve as material—kind of curious that the show doesn’t mine the insanely dense field of YouTube and Instagram food influencers more. (I’m biased on the subject matter here, as Dan Aykroyd’s Julia Child and Phil Hartman’s Anal-Retentive Chef occupy some of the primary affection spots my brain has reserved for the show.)
Musical guest Post Malone is… also beyond categorization, presentationally at least, and this will also be his first appearance on SNL. He’s plugging his forthcoming album Twelve Carat Toothache, which apparently includes appearances by Kid Laroi, Doja Cat (who—sidenote—is the epitome of pop fun, and how is it possible SNL hasn’t had her on yet?) and Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes. He will almost certainly perform the clever and infectious first single, “Cooped Up,” which features Roddy Ricch.
As for whether the show will chop the roof off a Suburban or throw up in a Birkin, it’s anyone’s guess. SNL has vacillated wildly in quality this season, with last week’s Benedict Cumberbatch episode being one of the best in terms of both sketches and music. It’s a tough act to follow (and worth a watch if you haven’t seen it yet).