Why Elon Musk’s ‘SNL’ Hosting Gig with Miley Cyrus is Causing a Stir
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Tesla CEO Elon Musk is set to host SNL, and the news is causing a commotion on social media. The billionaire will take the stage with former The Voice coach Miley Cyrus, who is making her sixth appearance as a musical guest on the show.
Musk is a controversial figure, and some fans object to Saturday Night Live‘s decision to give him a platform. And they’re not the only ones unhappy about it — even some cast members have expressed their distaste for the choice.
What to Expect from Elon Musk, Miley Cyrus on ‘SNL’
Musk is set to host SNL with Miley Cyrus on May 8. The billionaire may discuss his companies Tesla and SpaceX during his monologue. Musk’s son will also be celebrated his birthday on May 4, just a few days before his hosting gig. There will likely be a few jokes about the baby’s name, X Æ A-12.
Musk also hinted that his appearance might feature references to the bitcoin rival dogecoin. Musk tweeted “The Dogefather” on Wednesday, followed by a reminder of his SNL hosting date. According to Forbes, the price of dogecoin shot up following Musk’s tweet. It could be a reference to a planned sketch.
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Meanwhile, Cyrus will likely perform songs off her most recent album Plastic Hearts, which featured the singles “Midnight Sky,” “Prisoner,” and “Angels Like You.” The singer will also be featured on a remix of The Kid LAROI’s song “Without You,” which released last week.
We wouldn’t be surprised if Cyrus also makes at least one appearance in the show’s sketches. She’s hosted the show three times, and has experience performing comedy through her Disney Channel show Hannah Montana. Maybe she’ll portray Musk’s girlfriend, Grimes.
Why Musk’s Hosting Gig is Causing Controversy
The announcement of Musk’s upcoming hosting spot on SNL caused some uproar on social media. Many users take issue with the show’s decision to give Musk a platform. The tech giant is known for causing controversy. That includes his comments about COVID-19, as he spread misinformation and downplayed the seriousness of the pandemic.
Some social media users compared SNL‘s decision to feature Musk to Donald Trump’s past hosting gig during his candidacy for president. One user joked that the show should take the opportunity to pressure the billionaire into paying more taxes. Another suggested that Cyrus should be both the host and musical guest.
SEE ALSO: GRIMES & ELON MUSK FORCED TO CHANGE BABY’S NAME FROM X Æ A-12 TO…
Even some cast members on the show have expressed negativity toward Musk’s hosting gig. After he was announced as host, Musk tweeted, “Let’s find out just how live Saturday Night Live really is.”
Cast member Bowen Yang posted the tweet on Instagram Stories, adding, “what the f*ck does this even mean.”
Meanwhile, fellow cast member Andrew Dismukes reportedly posted an image of former SNL star Cheri Oteri and wrote, “ONLY CEO I WANT TO DO A SKETCH WITH IS Cher-E Oteri.” Longtime cast member Aidy Bryant also seemed to reference Musk by sharing a tweet from Sen. Bernie Sanders about wealth inequality.
Musk’s controversial persona might end up working in his favor, as viewers might tune in to the episode out of curiosity. The second-richest person in the world also has over 50 million followers on Twitter, so he has plenty of positive support as well.
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