Writers Guild of America strike. With the nation abuzz over the apparent camaraderie between singer Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs' star Travis Kelce, the show's first sketch didn't hesitate to delve into the juicy gossip.
In a clever parody of the «Fox NFL Sunday,» the «SNL» cast took on the roles of renowned sports commentators, each secretly revealing their inner «Swiftie» as they dissected the possible romance between Swift and Kelce.
Amidst hilarious banter and puns, it became clear that the duo's interactions were the hot topic of the hour.
While Pete Davidson's flamboyant sideline reporter donned a vibrant pink Swift cowboy hat, bemoaning her absence from the game, host Curt Menefee, portrayed by the ever-charismatic Kenan Thompson, attempted to steer the conversation back to the realm of actual football.
But all eyes were on Kelce when he made an unexpected appearance. Rather than clarifying the swirling rumors, the charismatic athlete smoothly redirected the conversation back to the sport, leaving the audience hanging on to the edge of their seats.
Meanwhile, as the show's actors brought the energy back to the screen, questions arose about their presence amidst the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
Speculations ran wild about how they managed to circumvent the picket line when Hollywood actors had been standing their ground for months.
The answer lay in the intricacies of the contracts governing the show's production. «SNL» operated under a separate agreement, effectively sidestepping the union's strike order.