‘SNL’s COVID-19 outbreak means that Paul Rudd and Charli XCX won’t be in the audience live.
This week, Saturday night might not be so live from New York.
The New York Post has learned that Saturday Night Live was on the verge of canceling tonight’s final episode of the show’s 2021 season because of an in-house outbreak of COVID-19 positives.
insider: “Four actors” have tested positive for coronavirus, and “three others” have called out because they’re now afraid to show up at the NBC Studios at 30 Rockefeller Center, where the weekly sketch show is filmed in New York City’s Midtown neighborhood.
Some people who work on the set say that executive producer Lorne Michaels, 77, has been diagnosed with HIV. Other people say that’s not true, and that he’s on set right now overseeing tonight’s show.
A source said that the “show must go on, but don’t expect to see Colin Jost, Sarah Sherman, or (Aristotle) Athari,” but that the show must go on. Jost, 39, usually hosts “Weekend Update” with Michael Che, 38. Sherman, 28, and Athari, 30, both new to the group this season, are both in the group.
A source also told the Post that Cecily Strong, 37, is one of the cast members who has expressed her concern about the outbreak, as well.
People from Saturday Night Live told The Post that because of the recent rise in the Omicron variant of HIV, there won’t be a live audience for tonight’s taping, and the show will have a small cast and crew. The show still follows all government safety rules, as well as a very strict testing process.
There were rehearsals for the episode, which is set to be hosted by Paul Rudd, 52, and Charli XCX, 29, on Saturday afternoon at Studio 8H, a source told the New York Post. “You know who is trying to hold on,” the source said.
Charli XCX has already said on Twitter that she’s “devastated and heartbroken” because she had to leave the last show of the season because she couldn’t stay for it.
When you go to Midtown, the mood isn’t very cheery at all.
The insider said, “Everyone is afraid here.” Rudd would be hosting the show for the fifth time.
People who work for Rudd didn’t respond right away to a request for comment from the New York Post.
There was no word on whether the show would film a rehearsal run-through at 8 p.m.
During the day on Saturday, “Saturday Night Live” tweeted that people who bought tickets for Saturday’s show would be contacted.
Show: “If you’ve been given tickets, we’ll let you know what to do next.” “Thank you for being patient and understanding. “
It comes at the same time as a number of Broadway shows have been temporarily shut down because of COVID concerns. These shows include Company, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Hamilton, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Ain’t Too Proud, Mrs. Doubtfire, Ain’t Too Proud, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, and Freestyle Love Supreme.
After an outbreak, the Radio City Rockettes also had to cut their season short on Friday. They were at Radio City Music Hall on Sixth Avenue just around the corner.
On Friday, New York State set a new record and had more than 21,000 new coronavirus infections in a single day. The Delta and new Omicron variants spread.
