Gary Zhou 
Being referred to as the real-life Tony Stark has its drawbacks. Elon Musk, like his comic book counterpart, stirs up controversy on a regular basis, whether it’s by his off-the-cuff Twitter comments or his stance on controversial issues. This was one of the reasons for the uproar when the Tesla and SpaceX CEO was revealed as the host of Saturday Night Live’s May 8, 2021 episode.
Musk said in a statement to Page Six that reports that members of the SNL cast are dissatisfied with his hosting job are “much ado about nothing.” Despite reports that there has been some pushback from cast members about Musk’s involvement, Musk claimed that everyone has been polite so far. Musk also noted that everyone has been willing to work with him.
Soon after Musk announced that he would be hosting the late-night comedy show, some cast members of Saturday Night Live voiced their displeasure with the CEO. Bowen Yang, a cast member, replied to Musk’s tweet about the show’s live existence with, “What the f–k does this even mean?” Aidy Bryant, on the other hand, seemed to take issue with Musk’s net worth by sharing a tweet from Senator Bernie Sanders condemning the country’s wealth gap.
Both cast members have since taken down their social media posts. Despite this, the impact of Musk’s presence on social media was significant. Miley Cyrus, the musical guest on the May 8 SNL show, received backlash after sharing her excitement for Musk’s appearance. Users on social media slammed the award-winning musician, claiming that Musk was “destroying the world” and that he doesn’t like women.
As a result, rumors surfaced claiming that cast members of Saturday Night Live would not be pressured to appear alongside Elon Musk if they were uncomfortable with the CEO’s appearance on the program. “Speaking historically, if a cast member has been that unhappy, they don’t have to do it. (SNL boss Lorne Michaels) won’t ever make them do anything they don’t want to do,” a source told Page Six.
Though Musk’s presence has sparked some controversy, he has also gained praise for his hosting gig on Saturday Night Live. Non-comedians like Elon Musk, according to late-night host Conan O’Brien, who wrote for Saturday Night Live from 1988 to 1991, are typically “dream guests” on the late-night comedy program, he told TMZ. It’s worth giving Musk a chance, according to O’Brien, because viewers might be pleasantly surprised.
