During the 50th season premiere of SNL, a parody skit humorously addresses Hoda Kotb’s departure from the Today Show, joking that a certain TV personality will be taking her place.
Saturday Night Live kicked off its 50th season with a special episode featuring acclaimed actress Jean Smart and singer Jelly Roll. The Weekend Update segment, with Colin Jost joking about Matt Lauer replacing Hoda Kotb on the Today show, made the episode even more entertaining.
During the September 28 episode, The Weekend Update segment, hosted by Jost and Michael Che, kept the audience informed about the latest news, including updates on Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Diddy, and Kotb’s departure from Today.
Jost mentioned, “Hoda Kotb announced that she will be leaving the Today show,” and joked about her feelings towards the show, as her picture holding a glass of wine flashed on the screen.
He then quipped, “Hoda Kotb will be replaced by Matt Lauer-be,” as Lauer’s face with a wig appeared on screen. Lauer was fired from the show following allegations about his behavior.
In addition to the guest appearances by Smart and Einbinder from The Hacks, the episode also featured the musical guest Jelly Roll, who performed songs from his upcoming album Beautifully Broken.
Upcoming episodes will feature performances by Coldplay with Nate Bargatze, John Mulaney with Chapell Roan, Ariana Grande with Steve Nicks, and Michael Keaton with Billie Eilish.
Punkie Johnson, Chloe Troast, and Molly Kearney have bid farewell to season 50 of the show. New additions to the cast include Emil Wakim, Ashley Padilla, and Jane Wickline, while Marcello Hernandez, Devon Walker, and Michael Longfellow have been promoted to main cast members.
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