“SNL” boss Lorne Michaels reveals the show’s satire plans for the upcoming election

CNN
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“Saturday Night Live” has been parodying politicians for decades, trying to bring some levity to a controversial topic.

Creator Lorne Michaels said the 50th season of the long-running sketch show will be no different, adding that he views the weeks leading up to the November election as an opportunity to invite some beloved former cast members back to Studio 8H.

“I want to celebrate this season with people who come back, who have been part of the show and who love the show – not so much as hosts, but just through their performances, and the election is an opportunity to do that because it's about five or six shows,” Michaels told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published Thursday.

Michaels confirmed that former “SNL” actress Maya Rudolph will return to play Vice President Kamala Harris. He also said Steve Martin will appear this season, but not to play Harris' running mate Tim Walz, despite people lobbying online for him to do so.

As for who might portray former President Donald Trump, Michaels did not confirm whether former “SNL” Trump impersonator Alec Baldwin will return, but said cast member James Austin Johnson, who has also portrayed the former president, “will be there” in some capacity.

“Trump has changed,” Michaels said. “We have to reinvent him because, well, you saw the debate. The great thing about show business is you can't come back with the same show. So all of these characters have to be reexamined.”

“We have the people who can play (the contestants) and it should be fun,” he added.

“You can't lecture the audience, which is very common in politics today. People lecture the audience. Our approach is, 'Yeah, there are idiots on both sides,'” Michael said of “SNL's” approach to political satire. “It has to be comedy. We're a comedy show first and foremost.”

The 50th season of “SNL” begins on NBC on September 28. “Hacks” star Jean Smart will host the show and Jelly Roll will appear as a musical guest.