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Bad Bunny as the host for the Season 51 premiere of Saturday Night
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Bad Bunny Hosts Saturday Night Live Season 51 Premiere Amid Super Bowl Backlash

'SNL' Returns with Bad Bunny as Host

"Saturday Night Live" opens its 51st season with host Bad Bunny addressing his Super Bowl halftime performance amid criticism. The show satirizes Trump and includes notable cameos.

  • Bad Bunny hosts SNL season opener
  • Trump's administration mocked in sketches
  • Controversy over Super Bowl halftime show
  • New cast members introduced
  • Doja Cat makes SNL debut
  • Featured cameos from Jon Hamm and Benicio del Toro

NBC’s Saturday Night Live returned on October 4, 2025, with Bad Bunny as host and Doja Cat as musical guest. The episode combined pointed political satire, cultural commentary, and high-energy sketches.

Cold Open Satirizes Trump and Military Fitness

The show opened at Marine Corps Base Quantico with Fox News contributor Pete Hegseth (Colin Jost) briefing senior officers on new “frat-party” fitness standards: “No overweight participants—unless you’re funny.” Former President Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson) then arrived to “make sure they don’t say anything too mean about me,” lampooning his influence over late-night comedy and conservative media clashes.[1][2]

Monologue Confronts Super Bowl Halftime Debate

Bad Bunny addressed criticism of his selection as headliner for Super Bowl LX’s halftime show in Santa Clara on February 8, 2026. He noted objections to a Spanish-language performance on American television and quipped, “If you didn’t understand me, you have four months to learn.” He dedicated his remarks to Latino audiences, calling the halftime slot “a win for cultural visibility”.[3][4]

Immigration Commentary via Kristi Noem’s Remarks

Clips aired of South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem warning on Benny Johnson’s podcast that ICE agents would be “all over” the Super Bowl and “prepared to enforce the law.” Noem asserted that only “law-abiding Americans” should attend, echoing fears Bad Bunny cited for omitting U.S. dates on his recent tour despite his citizenship.[5][6]

Sketch Highlights and Cameos

A recurring “friend reunion” sketch featured animated stars from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters performing their hit “Golden,” which has led the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks.[7][8]

Jon Hamm appeared first as an obsessive Bad Bunny fan and later as Profesor Jirafales in a parody of El Chavo del Ocho. Benicio del Toro joined a medieval skit about the origins of Spanish, humorously proposing an afternoon siesta be added to the alphabet.[2][9]

Season 51 Cast Changes

Under Executive Producer Lorne Michaels, SNL introduced five new featured players, while several veterans departed:

Joining Season 51 Departing at End of Season 50
Tommy Brennan (stand-up comedian) Ego Nwodim
Jeremy Culhane (TikTok comedian) Heidi Gardner
Kam Patterson (improviser) Devon Walker
Veronika Slowikowska (sketch comic) Michael Longfellow
Ben Marshall (Please Don’t Destroy) Emil Wakim

Doja Cat made her SNL musical debut, delivering performances of “AAAHH MEN!” and “Gorgeous” to open the season.[10][11][2]

The premiere balanced incisive political satire with dynamic musical and celebrity moments. Bad Bunny’s monologue and the cold open reinforced SNL’s enduring role as a barometer of cultural and political discourse.

Sophia Clarke

Sophia Clarke

Senior International Journalist

United Kingdom – London Entertainment

Sophia Clarke is a senior international journalist with nine years of experience covering global politics, human rights, and international diplomacy. She earned her M.A. in International Relations and Journalism from the University of Oxford (2016), where she specialized in global governance, conflict reporting, and cross-cultural communication. Sophia began her career as a foreign correspondent for BBC World Service and later joined The Guardian, where her insightful analyses and on-the-ground reporting from Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America earned her recognition for accuracy and integrity. Now based in Paris, France, Sophia contributes to Faharas NET, providing comprehensive coverage of diplomatic affairs, humanitarian issues, and policy developments shaping the international landscape. Her storytelling combines investigative depth, journalistic ethics, and a strong commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices in global dialogue.

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Elena Voren

Elena Voren

Senior Editor

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Elena Voren is a senior journalist and Tech Section Editor with 8 years of experience focusing on AI ethics, social media impact, and consumer software. She is recognized for interviewing industry leaders and academic experts while clearly distinguishing opinion from evidence-based reporting. She earned her B.A. in Cognitive Science from the University of California, Berkeley (2016), where she studied human-computer interaction, AI, and digital behavior. Elena’s work emphasizes the societal implications of technology, ensuring readers understand both the practical and ethical dimensions of emerging tools. She leads the Tech Section at Faharas NET, supervising coverage on AI, consumer software, digital society, and privacy technologies, while maintaining rigorous editorial standards. Based in Berlin, Germany, Elena provides insightful analyses on technology trends, ethical AI deployment, and the influence of social platforms on modern life.

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Howayda Sayed

Howayda Sayed

Fact-Checking

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Howayda Sayed is the Managing Editor of the Arabic, English, and multilingual sections at Faharas. She leads editorial supervision, review, and quality assurance, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and adherence to translation and editorial standards. With 5 years of translation experience and a background in journalism, she holds a Bachelor of Laws and has studied public and private law in Arabic, English, and French.

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Editorial Timeline

Revisions
— by Elena Voren
SEO improvements have been made to the article.
— by Howayda Sayed
Reordered sections by audience interest, not chronology.
— by Howayda Sayed
Linked chart data and remarks to verified sources.
— by Howayda Sayed
Corrected titles and roles of all public figures.
— by Howayda Sayed
Refined and clarified the article title for accuracy.
— by Howayda Sayed
Initial publication.

Correction Record

Accountability
— by Howayda Sayed
  1. Confirm Pete Hegseth’s role as Fox News contributor and former National Guard officer.
  2. Verify James Austin Johnson’s history of impersonating Donald Trump on SNL.
  3. Update Kristi Noem’s title to Governor of South Dakota, not Homeland Security Secretary.
  4. Cite ICE enforcement remarks from credible news transcripts rather than informal sources.
  5. Source “Golden” chart data from Billboard for accuracy on its eight-week run.
  6. Confirm Bad Bunny’s U.S. citizenship status via public records or reputable interviews.
  7. Reference official NBC press releases for exact premiere dates and cast announcements.
  8. Include a byline and publication date at the top for transparency.
  9. Maintain short paragraphs and clear keywords to optimize readability and SEO.
  10. Ensure compliance with Google News guidelines by avoiding promotional language and disclosing all sources inline.

FAQ

What is Bad Bunny's role in the Super Bowl?

He is the halftime performer for 2026.

Why is there controversy over Bad Bunny's performance?

Some critics oppose his use of Spanish in music.

What changes were made to the "SNL" cast?

Several cast members did not return for season 51.