Story perspectives

Ferrell Hosts SNL Finale; Epstein-Trump Sketch, McCartney Performs

5/19/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The finale opened with a sketch that placed Jeffrey Epstein beside U.S. President Donald Trump.
Will Ferrell hosted the May 16 2026 finale on NBC and Peacock, with Paul McCartney performing three songs and closing with an encore of “Coming Up” during the cast goodbyes.
The show added five featured players and promoted Ashley Padilla to the main cast.
Ferrell’s monologue featured Chad Smith, Molly Shannon and Aziz Ansari and omitted the curtain call.

History

Historical Context

When NBC launched Saturday Night Live on Oct 11 1975, Lorne Michaels built a live sketch show that quickly added political satire, from Chevy Chase’s 1976 Gerald Ford impression to Donald Trump’s 2015 hosting. The format persisted, with Olivia Rodrigo serving as both host and musical guest in 2026, and the series now exceeding 900 episodes.

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Story summary

The finale opened with a sketch that placed Jeffrey Epstein beside U.S. President Donald Trump.
Will Ferrell hosted the May 16 2026 finale on NBC and Peacock, with Paul McCartney performing three songs and closing with an encore of “Coming Up” during the cast goodbyes.
The show added five featured players and promoted Ashley Padilla to the main cast.
Ferrell’s monologue featured Chad Smith, Molly Shannon and Aziz Ansari and omitted the curtain call.

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