“Saturday Night Live” creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels has not contacted presidential candidates about possible cameos before the election and has indicated that he will not contact them in the future. I admitted it.
In an interview with hollywood reporter On Tuesday, Michaels explained that former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are unlikely to appear on the show's milestone 50th anniversary season, saying they both need “equal time.”
“Because of election laws and equal time provisions, we can't bring in people who are actually running,” Michaels said. “You can't decide on a major candidate until you have all the candidates, and there are a lot of minor candidates who are only on the ballot in, say, three states, and that gets really complicated.”
Former President Trump hosted “Saturday Night Live” in 2015. (Photo Credit: Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
However, he did not rule out the possibility that both candidates will appear after the election, when they will no longer be presidential candidates.
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“Everyone knows what we're doing, and I think we'll do it again. That's what we need to do,” Michaels said. “So, what's interesting is if we say to people who have just done something like that, 'Here's a way to do it with you guys, would you like to join us?'” They say, The answer is almost always yes. ”
The Federal Communications Commission's Equal Time Rule was enacted in 1934 and required radio and television stations to provide equal time to competing political candidates. There are some exceptions, such as news programs, documentaries, and political debates.
Despite the equal time rule, “Saturday Night Live” has in the past allowed political candidates to appear on the show without providing equal time to their opponents. Obama, then a senator, appeared in the cold opening of the November 2007 episode, months after announcing his candidacy that year.
“SNL” founder Lorne Michaels said the “equal time clause” requires both presidential candidates to be given equal time. (NBC/Contributor)
Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin also appeared in an episode in October 2008, one month before the 2008 presidential election.
Trump himself hosted the show in November 2015, a few months after launching his first presidential campaign.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to NBC for comment.
Michaels added that candidates could appear in court after the election. (Photo by Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images)
Although the candidates themselves are unlikely to appear, former cast member Maya Rudolph and current cast member James Austin Johnson play Harris and Trump, respectively.
Comedian Jim Gaffigan and cast member Bowen Yang have also been cast to play Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio State Senator J.D. Vance, respectively.
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