‘Saturday Night Live’ Scrambles To Keep Up With President Trump’s Evolving Health Situation

The writers, cast and crew of Saturday Night Live are scrambling to keep up with the constantly changing news about President Donald Trump’s health and the fallout from his and first lady Melania Trump’s COVID-19 diagnoses, TMZ reported.

With just hours to go before the 46th season premiere of the stalwart NBC sketch comedy series, the news is changing faster than the show can keep up with it.

By all rights, Tuesday night’s debate between Trump and Joe Biden should have been the topic that dominated the opener. A spoof of the debate was almost certainly going to be the show’s “cold open,” the show’s opening sketch that takes place before the famed phrase, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”

Whether or not the debate will still function as the cold open remains to be seen. Sources tell TMZ that the team isn’t going to “shy away” from the debate, nor any other political developments that have taken place recently. However, the news of the president’s diagnosis could shake up how and when the debate comes up in the show.

Other sources claim that no major changes have been planned despite the diagnosis.

As for Trump’s health, it will almost certainly come up in one way or another. Some sources have hinted that it may be addressed in host Chris Rock’s monologue, and it will all but certainly be a topic on the show’s news spoof, “Weekend Update.”

Still, producers are reportedly wrestling with how to address the topic through the lens of comedy while at the same time being sensitive, considering that his illness is no laughing matter and could very well jeopardize his life.

Writers and producers reportedly worked late into Friday night to deal with the “fluid situation.”

In other SNL news, the Season 46 opener will see the much-anticipated debut of a new actor taking on the role of Joe Biden. Woody Harrelson made a couple of guest appearances as the former vice president in Season 45, following eight years of Jason Sudeikis portraying him during the Obama administration. Now, actor Jim Carrey will be the new Biden, as reported by The Inquisitr.

Former cast member Maya Rudolph had played California Sen. Kamala Harris in a few cameos back in Season 45; she will continue in the same role this year, and is all but certain to make an appearance in the opener.

Alec Baldwin, who has been spoofing Donald Trump for the past several years, will continue in the same role.