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Olivia Rodrigo Chokes Out Ashley Padilla In ‘SNL’ Promo

Published

2 days ago

May 1, 2026

As Olivia Rodrigo pulls double-duty to make her Saturday Night Live hosting debut this weekend, along with her third time musical guest, she’s hyping fans up for the episode with Ashley Padilla.

On Thursday, the 3x Grammy winner appeared in a new promo for her episode of the NBC sketch comedy show with the cast member, whom she jokingly choked out in the final take of the teaser.

“I couldn’t sleep because I’m afraid of what happens when we die,” said Padilla after yawning, to which Rodrigo assured her, “Aw, it’s not so bad. Here, look.”

Rodrigo then wrapped her hands around Padilla until the comedian was on the floor.

The duo’s comedic banter in the promo also featured references to Rodrigo’s 2021 debut single ‘Driver’s License’, as well as her albums Sour (2021) and Guts (2023).

Rodrigo, who was previously a musical guest on SNL in 2021 and ’23, is currently promoting her third studio album You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, which debuts June 12. She released the album’s lead single ‘Drop Dead’ this month.

Following Rodrigo’s SNL this weekend, Matt Damon and Will Ferrell are finishing out Season 51 as the final two hosts, accompanied by musical guests Noah Kahan and Paul McCartney, respectively.

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Connor Storrie Pops Into ‘SNL’ To Introduce Olivia Rodrigo Performance

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2 hours ago

May 3, 2026

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After Blondie’s Debbie Harry introduced Olivia Rodrigo‘s first Saturday Night Live performance of the night, Connor Storrie also appeared in a surprise cameo to intro the artist’s second track during her double duty stint.

Rodrigo seemed to perform an unreleased song off of her upcoming album you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, which will drop June 12. Compared to the uproarious and scathing “drop dead,” the latest single was stripped down and more somber in tone.

“I could never leave / so I’m patiently learning / pretend it’s not hurting,” the singer-songwriter crooned. Other lyrics included: “‘Cause they say it’s a virtue / to not let good love slip away.”

The Heated Rivalry star was just at Studio 8H in Rodrigo’s shoes earlier this year, for his inaugural hosting stint back in late February. His show also included cameos galore: the U.S. women’s and men’s hockey champs, as well as his co-star Hudson Williams.

Though Rodrigo has been a musical guest twice prior, tonight marked her first time leading the Lorne Michaels-created sketch show. (She previously featured as a musical guest on the late-nighter in 2021, opposite host Keegan-Michael Key, and 2023, alongside host Adam Driver.)

But Storrie wasn’t the only surprise guest tonight. As mentioned, Harry previewed the three-time Grammy winner’s first track. Additionally, Aziz Ansari appeared in the Cold Open as FBI director Kash Patel.

In the lead-up to her third studio album, Rodrigo released lead single “drop dead” alongside a stunning accompanying music video — dreamily directed by Petra Collins at the Louvre — two weeks ago.

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Blondie’s Debbie Harry Intros Olivia Rodrigo’s Performance On ‘SNL’

Published

2 hours ago

May 3, 2026

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If there was any doubt as to Olivia Rodrigo‘s pop-rock bonafides, she got the co-sign tonight from Blondie‘s lead vocalist Debbie Harry, who popped up in a surprise cameo on Saturday Night Live to introduce the singer.

Rodrigo, in her first time pulling double duty, performed on the Studio 8H stage for the third time, debuting her new song “drop dead.” The three-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter released the track and accompanying music video — dreamily directed by Petra Collins at the Louvre — two weeks ago.

The actress-cum-musician transitioned seamlessly from host to musical guest, donning an airy green and pink dress and rocking out to the boisterous and energetic track. Her upcoming album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, will drop June 12.

The “Heart of Glass” singer is the latest prominent musical figure to pop by for a quick introduction. Paul Simon briefly joined Harry Styles on stage while the artist was pulling double duty back in March.

It’s also not the only surprise cameo tonight. Aziz Ansari popped by 30 Rock to skewer FBI director Kash Patel during tonight’s Cold Open.

More…

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SNL Cold Open Unveil Aziz Ansari As Kash Patel

Published

2 hours ago

May 3, 2026

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“In summary, war is awesome!”

A week after taking the stage as a part of Deadline’s Contenders TV shindig in LA, Ashley Padilla took center stage in SNL’s cold open tonight in NYC as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Then, in what may would assume was the comedy twist she quickly handed things over to Colin Jost for another pitch perfect parody stint of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

“Okay, everyone’s always asking me, when is this war gonna be over?” the Weekend Update co-host as the ex-Fox News host exclaimed. “That’s like asking, when is sex gonna be over? Answer, when the man is done.”

If that double star turn from Padilla and Jost wasn’t enough, a perfectly cast Aziz Ansari hit the podium with a chest pump as FBI Director Kash Patel. As Ansari satirically self-declared: “the first Indian person to suck at his job!”

“Everyone says Indian people are smart, hard working, incredibly intelligent,” The Master of None star’s bug-eyed Patel proclaimed. “I prove without a shadow of a doubt that we can be just as incapable and incompetent as the whites.”

Asked by an assembly of SNL cast members posing as journalists if he was on the way out, the controversial and rumored soon-to-be-really-fired Patel replied: “Hell, no! President Trump loves me. Everybody loves me, even the Correspondents Dinner shooter said, ‘Kill everyone, but Mr. Patel.’ You get a shout out like that in a psycho’s manifesto, you must be doing something right.”

Indeed, that was the case on Saturday Night Live’s cold open tonight – as you can see here:

Coming off a week that saw shots fired at the now shuttered 2026 White House Correspondents Dinner, more attacks by the Trumps on Jimmy Kimmel and ABC’s licenses now up for early renewal, and the debut of the Devil Wears Prada 2, Saturday Night Live had a lot to draw on tonight for its first cold open since April 11. There was also a USA 250 visit by a certain British King to a nation where some are starting to wonder if 1776 should have gone another way.

Instead they nailed it with the triple threat of Padilla, Jost and (please come back soon) guest Ansari.

In the second to last show of its 51^st season, the NBC later-nighter has Olivia Rodrigo hosting and performing as the musical guest before the live crowd in 30 Rock’s Studio 8H tonight. While the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series alum has appeared as the musical guest twice before, this Rodrigo’s firs time hosting SNL, and of course, doing double duty. Hot off her number #1 Drop Dead single, Rodrigo has a new You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love album set to drop next month and a world tour to follow later in the year.

Matt Damon and Noah Kahan will front and sing out the penultimate show of Season 51 next week. On May 16, SNL legend Will Ferrell and that up-and-comer Paul McCartney bring the latest run of the Lorne Micheals created show to an end for one more year.