SNL returning to the studio with live audience (includes covid info)

[Fambo Number Mive]

The October 3rd premiere dress rehersal and live show have all sold out, unless you are a healthcare worker.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/snl-reveals-how-covid-19-era-live-audience-will-work

For starters, all ticketed guests will be required to take a mandatory COVID-19 test upon arrival, according to the SNL ticket site. "This is a self-administered lower nasal antigen test with results yielded before the show," the instruction reads.

In addition to that test, temperature checks will also be required at check-in and approved masks will be required at all times while inside 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

What's more, all audience members will be asked a series of questions prior to admission, such as, "Are you exhibiting any symptoms related to COVID-19?", "Have you exhibited any symptoms to COVID-19 in the last 14 days?", and "Have you been in close contact with anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, or anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19, within the past 14 days?" among others, according to the site.

Any ticketed member with a temperature of 100.4 or higher will not be allowed admission and their party may not be granted admission either, the site states, adding, "A positive COVID-19 test for any member of your group will result in the entire group not being granted admission."

SNL is allowing people to request tickets for themselves and anyone in their "social bubble," which can include as many as eight other people.

I didn't realize you could get tests that gave results that quickly. Not sure why they couldn't do what Ellen did and have a virtual audience (This is the only time I would advise anyone to do what Ellen did). It still feels a bit risky - are these rapid tests 100% reliable? Who will be policing mask wearing?

According to Buzzfeed, masks are required for crew at all times, but cast members will remove theirs while on camera for their sketches.

Sorry if this is a bit Covid-heavy for Comedy Chat but I thought as it was a comedy show it should go here. Is a live audience that important for a show like SNL? I guess it's an important revenue stream for NBC.

[madhair60]

imagine risking your life for this cold diarrhoea

[mr. logic]

Presumably they will have to pay for the test too?

Have SNL had a Biden?

[kitsofan34]

Mommy....where's Daddy?

Daddy's dead Judy. It's ok, it's ok, he died doing what he loved, watching Alec Baldwin do his Trump.

[up_the_hampipe]

They did some at-home shows earlier this year, still managed to get some decent stuff out of it. Not sure why they're already rushing back to the studio. The whole "show must go on" mantra is a lot less admirable when lives are at risk.

[C_Larence]

Presumably they will have to pay for the test too?

Have SNL had a Biden?

It was recently announced that he'll be played by Jim Carrey. I'm looking forward to the show after he loses, which will most likely open with Carrey performing a somber piano rendition of The Times They Are A-Changin'

[Famous Mortimer]

I had a test and got a result in 15 minutes. But I wouldn't have that fucking thing stuck up my nose to go and see SNL.

[Gulftastic]

Cecily Strong is scaling back her appearances, leading, I imagine, to her leaving altogether. She's my absolute favourite.

[Fambo Number Mive]

I had a test and got a result in 15 minutes. But I wouldn't have that fucking thing stuck up my nose to go and see SNL.

Is this just a US/Canada thing (sorry, can't remember which country you are from)? If these rapid tests can be purchased en masse then should they not be prioritized for schools and hospitals rather than the audience of a comedy show? I'm just very confused now.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Please request tickets for you and anyone you consider to be a part of your "social bubble." 'A "social bubble" is defined as a group of people, related or unrelated, who have repeatedly entered into close contact (defined as <6 feet) with all others in that group, on multiple occasions prior to the night of the show. When selecting tickets please ensure you have the names and emails for all guests. Cancelling or adjusting names once tickets are requested may affect your waitlist status.

All ticket applicants should request either 7, 8 or 9 tickets, depending upon the size of your "social bubble." Please note that all people for whom you've requested tickets must come to the show, in order for any of you to be seated.

And, for the healthcare workers, the only tickets that are still on sale

Please request tickets for you and anyone you consider to be a part of your "social bubble." 'A "social bubble" is defined as a group of people, related or unrelated, who have repeatedly entered into close contact (defined as <6 feet) with all others in that group, on multiple occasions prior to the night of the show. When selecting tickets please ensure you have the names and emails for all guests. Cancelling or adjusting names once tickets are requested may affect your waitlist status.

All ticket applicants should request 9 tickets.  Please note that all people for whom you've requested tickets must come to the show, in order for any of you to be seated.

Very confused by this. So you have to be in a bubble of 7 to 9 (or 9 for healthcare workers) to attend? How weird.

I didn't realise the tickets were free. So what is the point for SNL? Better audience laughter? How much will those Covid tests cost NBC?

[Ornlu]

Cecily Strong is scaling back her appearances, leading, I imagine, to her leaving altogether. She's my absolute favourite.

No :(

She's miles better than Kate MacKinnon.

[kidsick5000]

Cecily Strong is scaling back her appearances, leading, I imagine, to her leaving altogether. She's my absolute favourite.

This roster must be the least well known in some years.
The most famous member is only famous for people wondering why he's being kept around.
And the lead writer is still mostly known as "the guy that somehow Scarlett Johnsson sees something in" (okay, maybe that's just me).
Not that they're without talent, I could watch Cecily Strong's girl at a party for ages and Kate McKinnon is great, but this team have struggled to create standout favourites.
They're still in the shadow of the previous lot where you had Kristen Wiig, Lonely Island, Stefon...
And just to give you a shock... Wiig and Andy Samberg left SNL in 2012! Bill Hader, 2013!

[Famous Mortimer]

Is this just a US/Canada thing (sorry, can't remember which country you are from)? If these rapid tests can be purchased en masse then should they not be prioritized for schools and hospitals rather than the audience of a comedy show? I'm just very confused now.

It's possible? (USA, for me). I did volunteer for a spit test the place I work at is developing, but I guess it's not been rolled out yet.

Re: the show, since they had Trump on as a host, I was done.

[kidsick5000]

Re: the show, since they had Trump on as a host, I was done.

I think they've fared better than Jimmy Fallon, possibly because the cast was more visibly under duress.

[The Mollusk]

Please request tickets for you and anyone you consider to be a part of your "social bubble." 'A "social bubble" is defined as a group of people, related or unrelated, who have repeatedly entered into close contact (defined as <6 feet) with all others in that group, on multiple occasions prior to the night of the show. When selecting tickets please ensure you have the names and emails for all guests. Cancelling or adjusting names once tickets are requested may affect your waitlist status.

All ticket applicants should request either 7, 8 or 9 tickets, depending upon the size of your "social bubble." Please note that all people for whom you've requested tickets must come to the show, in order for any of you to be seated.

What the fuck is this stupid flimsy bullshit? Christ, civilisation really is doomed.

[Ornlu]

By 'eck. Bill Burr is hosting the second ep: https://www.instagram.com/p/CF2cIt5ls8M/?igshid=pam9euwhb9tl

So that's Chris Rock, Bill, and Issa Rae. I'm really starting to look forward to this.

[mr. logic]

Chris Rock went with the hackiest possible Trump joke in his monologue.

[SavageHedgehog]

Good lord, the debate sketch is like particularly embarrassing Kamala fan fiction.

[thr0b]

Carrey's Biden was note-perfect.

Re bringing audiences back; it's peculiarly early to do so, but the argument is that the performers work better with and react to the audience.

I watch a few of the late night shows, and they've all tried different tactics after the home-based episodes.

Colbert is back at the Ed Sullivan, but not using the stage itself, rather has a small studio containing a Partridge-style replica of his office, with a small crew and his wife as the audience. Feels quite intimate, and is suited well to the current A Late Show era of the programme.

Conan hasn't gone back to his studio, but is instead using The Largo theatre, apparently a well-regarded comedy destination which would otherwise presumably be financially fucked. So instead of using the WB lot, Conaco/TBS are paying to use the theatre. A top-notch decision. Again, no public audience (though cardboard standees of viewers are now there), with Andy Richter sat at the back of the room and crew members as the audience.

Corden's team have probably got the mix right now - they've gone back to the studio, but it's been entirely reconfigured to give sufficient space for the band. It appears all the audience seating has been removed, making room for the full crew and a decent-sounding audience as a result. Again, suits his show, which always had a vaguely TFI Friday style to it, and really didn't work at all when he was hosting from home.

Basically, I like what they've all done. Colbert comes alive when he has a proper audience, but has worked with the limitations of the new format. Conan's clearly happy to use his production to help out the local comedy industry in this way. Corden's team have done excellent work to reconfigure the show while essentially keeping everything that made it work. Though he remains not in the same league as Ferguson, natch.

[up_the_hampipe]

Thought the show was pretty bad, and Chris Rock's monologue was half-baked. He probably hasn't had much time to hone the material, outside of doing Dave Chappelle's socially distanced farm show. I thought the Ronda Rousey joke was confusing and stupid. I liked the Drew Barrymore parody though, as that show has been baffling me with its awfulness for weeks now. Particularly enjoyed the Tom Green impression.

On a better note, I recently saw this great sketch from 1982 with Eddie Murphy and Lou Gossett Jr. Pretty ahead of its time I thought https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKPi66Us27Q

[Fambo Number Mive]

I think SNL sketches were much better without an audience. Watching the first debate sketch and the continual whooping, cheering and clapping really distracts from the sketch.

[Ptolemy Ptarmigan]

By 'eck. Bill Burr is hosting the second ep

Audience didn't seem to be into his monologue much and that seemed to put him of his stride a bit.
He was probably road-rusty as well, but he's been saying for a while that New York audiences are getting more po-faced and judgy.

[SavageHedgehog]

I'm genuinely baffled by the characterisation of Kamala Harris. What is it supposed to be; that she's cool? If seems like they came up with something when she was a minor player in the debates, it was semi-popular, and now they're stuck with it as their "this is the person we're rooting for, but we'll make some mild jokes" character.

[kidsick5000]

Audience didn't seem to be into his monologue much and that seemed to put him of his stride a bit.
He was probably road-rusty as well, but he's been saying for a while that New York audiences are getting more po-faced and judgy.

He was doing fine until the Rick Moranis bit. Possibly a wilful misreading of the room or he misjudged his tone and came off too gleeful, or he was totally unaware of how much people were shocked by the attack and want justice for Moranis.

[up_the_hampipe]

He was doing fine until the Rick Moranis bit. Possibly a wilful misreading of the room or he misjudged his tone and came off too gleeful, or he was totally unaware of how much people were shocked by the attack and want justice for Moranis.

Umm, they laughed and applauded the Rick Moranis joke.

Where's this idea that Burr didn't do well coming from? He got fairly consistent laughs, he just missed a few landings because it was new material he's probably only tried out like two or three times before.

[C_Larence]

I'm genuinely baffled by the characterisation of Kamala Harris. What is it supposed to be; that she's cool? If seems like they came up with something when she was a minor player in the debates, it was semi-popular, and now they're stuck with it as their "this is the person we're rooting for, but we'll make some mild jokes" character.

She is Black Hillary

[Fambo Number Mive]

I wonder what SNL will be like if Biden wins. Probably exactly the same no matter who Biden bombs.

[Ornlu]

I do wonder if the Don Pauly sketch was on any level influenced by Cum Town's 'Woke Italian Mobsters' bit.

[Famous Mortimer]

Seth Simons, one of the best comedy journalists working today, wrote a review of Colin Jost's autobiography a few months ago which is really interesting and talks a lot about what he sees as the problems with current SNL.

https://sethsimons.substack.com/p/anatomy-of-a-sellout

[Fambo Number Mive]

Looking at Seth's site he has also written this article on SNL bringing back its audience: https://sethsimons.substack.com/p/how-safe-is-snls-audience

Particularly interesting was that SNL had to pay audience members due to New York's guidence on media production.