John Mulaney Butts Heads with ‘Bob Dylan’ in SNL Promo

John Mulaney is hyped and ready to host Saturday Night Live’s pre-election show this Saturday alongside first-time musical guest Chappell Roan (you might even say he’s “hot to go”)—but first, he has a few notes for the show’s writing staff.

In a just-released promo, the comedian chipperly introduces himself, but then appears confused by what’s written on the cue cards. “Last week, I was in Luxembourg, where I ran into music producer Shooter Jennings at one of the country’s many castles. I told him how much I enjoyed the song ‘Chip Away’ by Duff McKagan…” he trails off.

When Mulaney stops and asks who’s the writer for the promo, a voice calls out, “I am.” The camera then pans to reveal “Bob Dylan” (played by James Austin Johnson), who explains, “I’ve been hired as a writer. Season 50, they’re busting out the big guns.”

“That’s cool, I have no questions,” Mulaney nonchalantly responds. “Look, that promo felt a little overwritten. They’re normally, like, pretty punchy… maybe we could do something like, ‘Hey, I’m back in New York!’” 

Johnson-as-Dylan suggests the comedian try on another “for size.” “Hey, it’s great to be back in The Big Apple,” Mulaney reads. “Herman Melville was born here, author of Moby Dick. That’s the ultimate fish story if you ask me.” 

Mulaney insists that something still feels “off,” explaining, “This is, like, the big pre-election show. A lot of people are going to be tuning in. We just need something energetic; they’re almost exclusively not funny. Maybe I should have a cast member with me?” Dylan agrees and says he knows just the cast member for the job.

The video then cuts to a “new” promo, featuring Mulaney and SNL featured player Jane Wickline side-by side. “Wow,” Wickline says, speaking to Mulaney. “Writer, stand-up, host—is there anything you can’t do?” Mulaney initially says he can’t sing, but—spoiler alert— he can do that too.

Dylan then decides to show them “how it’s done,” getting up to join Mulaney and Wickline and inserting himself into the promo. “Hey, it’s John Mulaney. I’m hosting SNL this week with musical guest Charlie Mingus,” Dylan says as the others trade uneasy looks. “On the night that Judas betrayed Christ, they broke bread, and he said, ‘One of you is gonna sell me up the river. Rat me out. Send me to the Pharisees. I think it’s gonna be you…”

Mulaney is clearly a fan of James Austin Johnson’s Bob Dylan. Johnson made an uncredited cameo of sorts as Dylan in an episode of Mulaney’s Everybody’s in L.A. last spring.

This weekend will mark the sixth time that Mulaney has hosted SNL overall, having earned his Five-Timers Club badge in 2022. It seems that the comedian hosting the show’s pre-election election episodes is becoming something of a tradition, considering he took on the task in 2020 as well. 

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Of course, SNL in Mulaney’s DNA. He began his career as a member of the SNL writing staff from 2008 to 2013, where he contributed to numerous sketches, monologues, and “Weekend Update” segments (including co-creating the popular recurring character Stefon with Bill Hader). 

Outside of SNL, Mulaney’s schedule is jam-packed. Netflix recently revealed that he’ll be hosting a new live weekly talk show for the streamer beginning in 2025. Additionally, he’s set to guest star in Season 2 of Peacock’s Poker Face (along with Ego Nwodim and Please Don’t Destroy’s Ben Marshall) and will soon make a five-week return to Broadway, where he’ll be starring in his friend and former SNL colleague Simon Rich‘s new play, All In: Comedy About Love. As for Chappell Roan, well, we don’t have to tell you what a big year she’s had.

SNL’s pre-election episode airs this Saturday, November 2 at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock.

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