Druski Makes History as First Digital Creator to Host 'SNL,' Joined by Emma Stone and James Talarico

Druski became the first digital content creator to host "Saturday Night Live" on Nov. 7, 2026, with Emma Stone joining his monologue and Texas Senator-elect James Talarico appearing in the cold open. The Strokes were the musical guest.

Nov 08, 2026 - 09:21

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Comedian Druski hosted NBC's "Saturday Night Live" for the first time on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, becoming the first digital content creator to lead the long-running sketch show, according to NBC Insider, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. The episode, the fifth of the show's 52nd season, featured The Strokes as musical guest and surprise appearances by Oscar winner Emma Stone and Texas Senator-elect James Talarico, the outlets reported.

A first for the show

Druski, whose real name is Drew Desbordes, built his following through comedy videos on social media, The Hollywood Reporter said. NBC Insider credited him with viral memes such as "Hands Up" and "What Do You Mean By That?" and noted that his 2025 dating-show parody "Coulda Been Love Episode 1: Meet the Bachelor" has drawn 24 million views on YouTube. Deadline described the booking as the first time a content creator without a current movie or TV show had hosted the program.

The Hollywood Reporter said Druski has also worked in television on "Grown-ish" and in film with "House Party," and hosted the BET Awards in June. On Monday, Nov. 2, it was announced that he had signed a multiyear deal with Netflix, beginning with the semi-scripted comedy series "Collect & Praise," the outlet reported.

Emma Stone joins the monologue

Druski opened his monologue by addressing the milestone. "It is a dream to be hosting Saturday Night Live. Apparently, people are saying I'm the first internet content creator, social media influencer, only make you laugh on your phone, TikTok and YouTube and Instagram star to host this show," he said, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. He told the audience the show would not be "holding me back from saying anything" and listed two rules he said he had been given, no cursing and no "whiteface," joking that he could not promise to follow either, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline.

He then introduced Stone, his co-star in the upcoming Universal Pictures comedy "The Catch." When Druski claimed he played her love interest in the film, Stone replied, "I think you might have misread that in those scenes because we weren't love interests in the film," according to The Hollywood Reporter. Druski also told her he had loved her performance in "Bugonia," then said he was only joking because he "just wanted to be the first Black guy to say it," Variety and The Hollywood Reporter reported.

"The Catch" is directed by Dave McCary, Stone's husband and a former "SNL" segment director, and is scheduled to open in theaters on May 21, 2027, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. Deadline reported that Druski joined the baseball-themed romantic comedy in June and that the cast also includes Chris Pine and "SNL" cast member Ashley Padilla. Deadline noted that Stone is a member of the show's Five-Timers Club.

Elizabeth Holmes documentary parody

The episode also included a pre-taped parody of "You Can See Everything," Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim's documentary about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. Titled "Dru Can See Everything," the sketch imagined that Druski had been attached to direct the film before Fielder and Oppenheim, The Hollywood Reporter reported. Jane Wickline played Holmes and Ben Marshall played her husband, Billy Evans.

"I just want people to see me as an ordinary person. Can you do that, Druski?" Wickline's Holmes asked, according to The Hollywood Reporter and TheWrap. Druski replied that, based on what he had seen so far, the answer was no. The sketch restaged moments from the documentary, including its close-up conversations and its use of reenactments, and ended with Druski appearing in prosthetics and makeup as Holmes himself, the outlets reported. TheWrap noted that Druski has gone viral for sketches in which he portrays white women, and that the sketch followed through on both of the rules he had joked about breaking in his monologue.

Talarico crashes the cold open

The show's first episode since the Nov. 3 midterm elections opened with Sarah Sherman as Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and Kenan Thompson as House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries celebrating their party's wins, according to Variety and The Boston Globe. James Austin Johnson's President Donald Trump then froze the scene to deliver his take on the results, joined briefly by Jeremy Culhane as Vice President JD Vance and Colin Jost as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Talarico entered near the end of the sketch after Johnson's Trump referred to him as "Talafreako," Rolling Stone reported. "Hi America, I'm James Talarico, the guy who's been texting you every day asking for $5," he said. Talarico then asked how many more "Trump freezers" the show planned to do and Johnson's Trump answered, "Infinity," according to Variety, Rolling Stone and The Boston Globe. Variety reported that Talarico won the Texas Senate race with 55.09% of the vote, defeating Ken Paxton and becoming the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Texas since 1988.

Musical guest and what is next

The Strokes performed for the fifth time on the show, according to NBC Insider, which said the band first appeared on Jan. 19, 2002, and is touring behind its July 2026 album "Reality Awaits." The Boston Globe reported that Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Austin Butler, Michael B. Jordan and Walton Goggins were among the guests in attendance and that Goggins performed with the band during its second song.

Earlier hosts this season were Jalen Brunson, Dakota Johnson, Shane Gillis and Inde Navarrette, Variety reported, adding that the Oct. 31 Halloween episode hosted by Navarrette averaged 5.2 million viewers, the season's largest audience so far. John Mulaney is scheduled to host the Nov. 14 episode with musical guest Phoebe Bridgers, according to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.