Saturday Night Live is about to kick off its 34th season, and they're determined to do it with a bang. Doing a smart job of quickly pulling in America's biggest star of the summer, the show has announced that super-crazy Olympian god slash merman Michael Phelps will be hosting the premiere. It also looks like the musical guest will be Lil' Wayne, but who has time to care about that? Michael Phelps is swimming back to America and he's hosting!There are two camps of opinion out there when it comes to athletes hosting SNL: Some people love 'em and others find these episodes particularly excruciating to watch. I am personally in the latter group, but I'm willing to give Michael Phelps a chance.
I mean, after witnessing his insanely brilliant performance throughout the entire Beijing Olympics, I have been thoroughly convinced that the man is actually a magic half-dolphin with the power to bend space and time for maximum performance. Maybe these powers are not limited to just the pool and he'll blow us out of the water. Har har.
Don't forget that SNL is going to have a slightly wonky season this time around. Their premiere, Phelps' episode, will air September 13th on the normal day and time, but there will also be some scattered, election-themed "Weekend Update" episodes on Thursday nights. Plus, this season will be two episodes longer than usual. For full details, check this out.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-27-2008 @ 7:47PM
Keith McDuffee said...
Wonder if they'll let him out of his tank:
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/michael_phelps_returns_to_his_tank
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8-27-2008 @ 8:29PM
Chris said...
He needs to go away, like, soon.
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8-27-2008 @ 8:37PM
Tony said...
When the page first loaded, all those medals looked like some kind of blingy tank top...
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8-28-2008 @ 12:56AM
deebopalula said...
LOL! My 7 year old daughters saw this pic and said "Mommy, why is that man wearing a girl's top?". Spitz had only one less medal, but his bling didn't look like a bad Fashion Week halter top. Phelps - Shouldn't you have people who have your back in this regard already? If not - Dude, get thee a stylist A.S.A.P.!!
8-28-2008 @ 7:15AM
Brent McKee said...
There's a fairly simple explanation for the difference between Spitz's picture and Phalps's - The Germans put their medals on thin gold chains while the Chinese put theirs on wide red ribbons. Net result is that Spitz's medals didn't look like "a bad Fashion Week halter top" when fanned out. He did however look slightly over-accessorized for the disco.
8-28-2008 @ 1:19PM
ORKMommy said...
I said the same thing when I saw that pic on the cover of SI!!
8-27-2008 @ 8:52PM
Frank said...
They should've gone with Usain Bolt...
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8-27-2008 @ 10:01PM
StillBash said...
I don't really want to repeat what I bitched about on Ken Levine's page...
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8-28-2008 @ 1:14AM
Argus said...
Athletes usually suck. Often they get brutally pandered to, especially when they can't take a joke, this will probably be worse with Phelps. And all too often they end up playing themselves repeatedly in skit after skit because they can't act. I think the only Athlete in recent memory who did a good job was Payton Manning.
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8-28-2008 @ 2:01AM
deebopalula said...
I never would have believed it before I saw it, but you're right -- Peyton did quite well on SNL.
8-28-2008 @ 1:46AM
CC said...
Note to self - do not watch SNL season premiere.
Aside from the fact that athletes usually have a more difficult time hosting (although some actors are not great hosts themselves), Michael Phelps doesn't talk clearly. It's like his jaw is constantly clenched/closed. It's annoying.
Not to mention that he is so two weeks ago. So he won 8 gold medals. NBC already talked him to death during the whole Olympics (even when swimming was over and done with). We don't need anymore of him now. Maybe in 4 years... maybe.
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8-28-2008 @ 2:59AM
Diego M said...
what a bunch of bull. lebron james sucked and phelps is a quick fad i already forgot about him.
why didn't they have Eli back in may? could've brought peyton during the monologue, would've made a funny bit.
Phelps will suck!!!
why couldn't they have gotten some other athlete like say... Kobe? either one of the boston Three... Phelps Sucks
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8-28-2008 @ 8:15AM
Andrew said...
Some people take SNL too seriously.
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8-28-2008 @ 9:02AM
Jimmy said...
Peyton and LeBron both did well in recent hosting gigs, but I don't have any expectations for Phelps. I agree with Chris; he and his underbite lisp need to go away.
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8-28-2008 @ 9:21AM
Stone said...
Geez, how many times is this dude gonna be on NBC??? They should just give this dude a sitcom...
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8-28-2008 @ 12:46PM
Garrett Neese said...
I wsa hoping it would be Robert Downey, Jr. He's got another movie coming in November, so maybe they're holding off until then.
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8-28-2008 @ 12:48PM
Garrett said...
Or even "was."
8-28-2008 @ 2:00PM
matt in Oakland said...
But will he be able recreate the magic of Joe Montana going up to his room to masturbate?
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