‘S.N.L.’ Cancels Live Audience Over Covid Concerns

“Saturday Night time Stay” introduced, simply hours earlier than showtime, that there can be no dwell viewers on Saturday night time “out of an abundance of warning” amid the surge of coronavirus circumstances in New York tied to the Omicron variant.

The present additionally wrote on Twitter that there can be “restricted forged and crew,” nevertheless it didn’t say whether or not any of the forged members had examined optimistic for the virus.

“The present continues to observe all authorities security tips along with a rigorous testing protocol,” it mentioned, including that those that had tickets to the taping at Rockefeller Heart “can be getting extra data quickly.”

An individual accustomed to plans for the present mentioned that some forged and crew both had examined optimistic or had been in shut contact with individuals who had.

Saturday’s present, the final of 2021, was hosted by the actor Paul Rudd — his fifth time, which was the main target of the subdued opening. Tom Hanks, the Academy Award-winning star of “Forrest Gump,” took the stage and defined that although that they had deliberate a particular Christmas present, “Covid got here early this 12 months, so within the curiosity of security, we do not need an viewers and we despatched dwelling our forged and most of our crew.”

Tina Fey, a former forged member, and Kenan Thompson, a present forged member, then joined him to induct Mr. Rudd into the so-called 5-Timers Membership for hosts. They closed the opening by explaining that the impromptu present would consist of recent sketches taped earlier within the week and private favorites from earlier episodes.

Mr. Rudd joked, “It’s going to be somewhat bit like that new Beatles documentary — numerous outdated footage however sufficient new stuff that you simply’re like, ‘OK, yeah, I’ll watch that.’ ”

The present was speculated to have included a musical efficiency by the English pop artist Charli XCX. She ended up canceling, explaining that she couldn’t carry out with so few crew members. “I’m devastated and heartbroken,” she said in a statement of her personal, including: “It could’t occur this time however I’ll be again! I’m at present protected and wholesome however in fact very unhappy.”

“Please take care of yourselves on the market and ensure you get vaccinated in the event you haven’t already,” she continued.

NBC declined to remark past the present’s assertion.

“S.N.L.” usually tapes a gown rehearsal at 8 p.m. Jap time on Saturday, after which the dwell efficiency airs at 11:30 p.m.

Mr. Rudd closed the show by thanking the forged and crew for working so arduous underneath aggravating circumstances.

“I do know it wasn’t the Christmas present you anticipated, however that’s the great thing about this place. Like life, it’s unpredictable,” he mentioned, as he and 4 others onstage wore face masks.

He completed by cracking a joke at Mr. Hanks’s expense. “As my good good friend Tom Hanks as soon as mentioned in a film, life’s like an enormous, bizarre chocolate bar: generally it’s scrumptious; different generally it’s received that orange cream filling in it,” he mentioned. “And it’s like, OK, it’s not what I’d have chosen, nevertheless it’s higher than nothing.”