Chris Rock is ready to shake things up in Studio 8H.
Rock is hosting this week’s episode of Saturday Night Live alongside musical guest Gracie Abrams, who will make her musical guest debut. In a just-released promo, he takes it upon himself to share some questionable “facts” about SNL with a visiting tour group, led by an NBC page named Bridget (played by cast member Jane Wickline).
Bridget is initially thrilled when former cast member Rock offers to step in. “Oh my god, Chris Rock!” she cries. “It’d be an honor, sir.” However, it doesn’t take long for her to regret the decision.
“SNL was created in 1942,” Rock confidently declares, to the page’s horror. “Jackie Robinson used to be an intern here. People don’t know this, but Lorne Michaels is actually Haitian. Been Haitian the whole time. Can’t you tell?”
Despite Bridget’s protests that none of these “facts” are correct, Rock continues, “Tupac got shot on that stage. David Spade was a cast member for only three days, but had to leave because a llama bit his ass.”
Fittingly, Rock then tells everyone to “give it up for Jane Curtin,” as he tells Wickline-as-Bridget that she did a “great job,” and she has to point out that she’s not the famous SNL alum.
Rock joined SNL as a cast member in 1990, kicking off Season 16 alongside then-new hires Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, and David Spade.
This Saturday’s episode will mark the fourth time that Rock has hosted SNL, having previously hosted in 1996, 2014, and 2020. He’s made an additional 11 cameos on the show over the years, most recently appearing in the October 2021 episode hosted by Kim Kardashian as part of the dating show sketch “The Dream Guy.”
Rock’s SNL return airs this Saturday, December 14, at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock.
