‘Outcry’ after SNL announces Elon Musk will host
Outcry after Saturday Night Live announces Elon Musk will host
Billionaire to host 8 May with musical guest Miley Cyrus as some say ‘they’ve learned nothing’ and ‘seems like a left-field choice’

Martin Pengelly in New York@MartinPengellySat 24 Apr 2021 21.37 BST
Saturday Night Live faced criticism on Saturday after announcing that its next show will be hosted by Elon Musk.Elon Musk declared himself ‘technoking’. He’s just a hyper-capitalist clownAkin OllaRead more
The Tesla and SpaceX billionaire will host on 8 May, with Miley Cyrus as musical guest for a sixth time.
Reporting the news, Deadline.com said Musk “seems like a left-field choice for a sketch comedy show [but] has shown a quick wit in his online dealings with fans, foes and the like, so may have a few more surprises in store”.
That “quick wit”, whether displayed on podcasts or social media, has often landed Musk in trouble.
Criticism spread quickly online.
“I am really beyond disappointed in SNL,” wrote Jenelle Riley, a writer and editor for Variety. “They’ve learned nothing. A host should have some discernible talent other than … being rich? Or at least not be someone who lies about a takeover, spreads misinformation about a pandemic, and is known for abusing employees.”
Musk has previously appeared on The Simpsons and The Big Bang Theory and had a cameo in Iron Man 2.
SNL rarely strays from its usual practice of fielding actors with films to promote. When it does, trouble often follows.
In November 2015, two months before the start of the Republican presidential primary, Donald Trump delivered the monologue in a show staged amid widespread protests over his belligerent and racist campaign rhetoric.