Chris Rock will host Saturday Night Live’s season 46 premiere

Saturday Night Live will have former cast member Chris Rock open up the new season

Season 46 of Saturday Night Live may not look or sound like any previous season but it will start with a bang just like all the others. Chris Rock has been announced as the host of the season premiere.

Rock was a cast member from 1990 to 1993. While building an influential stand-up career and impressive movie resume, Rock returned to host SNL in 1996 and 2014 while making a handful of cameos along the way. Next, he’ll star in the new season of Fargo on FX.

Saturday Night Live will turn to Rock again to kick off season 46. Megan Thee Stallion will be the musical guest when things start up on Oct. 3.

Chris Rock will help launch one of Saturday Night Live’s most intriguing seasons

The biggest question going into season 46 is how Saturday Night Live will pull it off. Everyone remembers how season 45 ended with three remote episodes filmed from the homes of cast members.

Executive Producer Lorne Michaels recently revealed the plan to have season 46 based at Studio 8H in Rockefeller Plaza. That will mean a limited number of live audience members and likely a strict testing policy in place for cast members.

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers are in the same building and have managed to return during the pandemic. While SNL is a slightly larger and more hectic operation, the blueprints are there for how to put on a show safely.

Then there is the added attention that comes with an election year. SNL has already made headlines announcing that Jim Carrey will portray former Vice President Joe Biden. Maya Rudolph is expected to reprise her Emmy-winning role as Senator Kamala Harris. And Alec Baldwin is hoping this is his last go-around as President Donald Trump.

Adding Chris Rock on top of the curiosity factor that comes with SNL during a pandemic and the excitement that comes with election year coverage is a recipe for a massive season opener. Rock is one of the biggest stars to come from SNL, has a strong fanbase, and is known for pushing the envelope any time he’s on stage.

Expect his monologue to sum up the pandemic, the 2020 election, and maybe even that controversy involving Jimmy Fallon’s impression of him on Saturday Night Live. No matter what he says or does, Rock is a can’t-miss host for a can’t-miss season premiere.

What do you think of Chris Rock being named season 46’s first host? Share your thoughts in the comment section and keep checking Last Night On for more from Saturday Night Live.