By JOCELYN NOVECK AP National Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Bad Bunny kicked off the 51st season of “Saturday Night Live” with a few timely jokes about his next high-profile gig: the Super Bowl.
“I think everybody is happy about it — even Fox News,” the music superstar quipped in his monologue, referring to opposition in some quarters to his being named headliner of the Super Bowl halftime show.
He segued into a few sentences in Spanish, expressing Latino pride and joy over the achievement, after which he noted: “If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn!” Bad Bunny will be making history by performing entirely in Spanish, a landmark moment for Latino culture.
Launching a season that introduces some new faces in the cast, the show’s cold open featured a sketch mocking Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s presentation to generals earlier this week.
“Weekend Update” host Colin Jost played Hegseth, highlighting the defense secretary’s remarks in which he said it’s “tiring to look out at combat formations or really any formation and see fat troops” and said it was unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals at the Pentagon.
“No fatties, no facial hair, no body hair,” Jost’s Hegseth said. “Just hot, shredded hairless men who are definitely not gay. … “Because this is serious, we are facing the greatest threat to freedom and democracy the world has ever known. And we all know what that threat is.”
“Late night TV!” replied James Austin Johnson as President Donald Trump, bursting in.
“‘SNL’ 51 off to a rough start,” Johnson’s Trump added. “Seventeen new cast members and they got the ‘Update’ guy doing the open.”
After a fanfare-filled 50th season celebrating the past, “Saturday Night Live” is looking to the future with a cast that includes five new featured players. Several cast members have departed the show.
Bad Bunny is having what can only be described as an enormous week: in addition to hosting “SNL,” he’s coming off a historic residency in Puerto Rico, and on Sunday came the Super Bowl news.
His moment in the spotlight hasn’t come without some political discourse. The Puerto Rican artist has said one of the reasons his residency bypassed the continental U.S. was a concern that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials could target immigrants for deportation outside his shows.
Asked Friday by a podcaster whether ICE officials would be conducting enforcement at the Super Bowl, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said they would, because DHS “is responsible for keeping it safe.” She didn’t specify whether the officials would be conducting immigration enforcement or other law enforcement duties that are typical at the event.
The issue made for a key joke in the “Weekend Update” segment. “A Trump adviser said ICE agents will attend the Super Bowl after Bad Bunny was announced as the halftime performer,” noted co-host Michael Che, then quipping: “You know, to catch all those farmworkers who can afford Super Bowl tickets.”
In his second “SNL” hosting gig, Bad Bunny was joined by musical guest Doja Cat, making her debut in that role.
He was featured in many of the show’s comedy segments, including a spinoff of the popular sketches in which George Washington attempts to educate soldiers about his new country’s language and customs. Here, Bad Bunny played a Spanish ruler in 900 A.D. explaining how the language would have both masculine and feminine nouns — with Benicio Del Toro making a surprise appearance.
Bad Bunny will be followed as hosts in subsequent weeks by Amy Poehler and Sabrina Carpenter. All three were highlights of the 50th season celebrations, with Bad Bunny performing at the “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert ” and also serving as the final musical guest last season.
SNL alumna Poehler, in her second solo hosting gig, will front the Oct. 11 episode alongside first-time musical guest Role Model. Her episode will air 50 years to the day of the very first episode of “Saturday Night Live,” on Oct. 11, 1975.
Carpenter, who was a major attraction of the anniversary celebrations, is pulling double duty as host and musical guest on Oct. 18.
The revamped cast comes on the heels of several high-profile departures, including Ego Nwodim and Devon Walker. Ben Marshall, already an “SNL” writer, becomes a featured player, along with newcomers Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson and Veronika Slowikowska.
Nwodim, Walker, Emil Wakim and Michael Longfellow all confirmed last month on their social media accounts that they are leaving the show.
The show picked up 12 Emmys last month for its 50th season and anniversary programming, including an award for outstanding variety special.
“I won this award for the first time 50 years ago, in 1975,” Michaels said, accepting the Emmy, adding that he didn’t dream of doing the same show for the next 50 years.