Even though Hollywood is starting to get back to basics following the resolution of the WGA writers strike, audiences will still be waiting until the new year for many of their favorites to return, with the SAG-AFTRA dispute still ongoing. Thankfully, Saturday Night Live and its talented cast and crew were able to right the ship to jump immediately back into action, with former repertory player Pete Davidson making his delayed return as one of Season 49’s guest hosts. And as the comedic actor shared, he first found out about the previously rumored gig from the rumor mill himself, Lorne Michaels.
Davidson popped up on another NBC series that recently made its post-strike return, The Tonight Show, where he talked to fellow SNL alum Jimmy Fallon about the A+ way Lorne Michaels hit him up about nabbing the host role. Here’s how he put it below:
Oh, I got a classic Lorne-y text. ‘There’s a rumor going around that you’re the host for the premiere.’ He goes, ‘I guess it’s true because I started it.’ He’s the best with the liners.
Lorne Michaels would presumably feel right at home alongside The Umbrella Academy hero Allison Hargreeves, whose powers of suggestion are tied to the phrasing “I heard a rumor…” Of course, Michaels’ level of influence presumably wouldn’t stretch out that far outside of the boundaries of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, but it’s a pretty big building.
In any case, that’s gotta be one of the coolest texts to get, even if it means shifting one’s schedule around to allow for a week of preparing ahead of SNL’s Saturday evening performances. Lorne Michaels was also a major player behind the scenes of Davidson’s Peacock comedy Bupkis, so I’d imagine that the Meet Cute star is more attuned to taking his frequent boss’ messages more seriously than he might with a message from buddy Colin Jost.
Speaking of, Davidson spent the first part of his Tonight Show interview talking about the rather bizarre investments he started making during the pandemic: buying up all the factory-sealed VHS tapes he can get his hands on. But while that may sound like a similar money pit to the “Titanic 2” Staten Island Ferry that he and Jost bought in 2022, it turns out collectors out there will pay a whole lot of money for the largely outdated media format. (Said as someone who may or may not still have a bunch of VHSes from my own youth.)
Fans can check out the extended cut of Pete Davidson’s latest Tonight Show appearance below, which includes the comedian’s spot-on impression of Lorne Michaels.
Saturday Night Live will make its highly anticipated return for Season 49 on Saturday, October 14, with Ice Spice as the musical guest set to perform. Head to our 2023 TV premiere schedule to see what other new and returning shows are on the way.