People: Live from New York, Donald Trump will soon be hosting ‘SNL’
Amid high anticipation and sharp criticism, Donald Trump is set to step onstage in Studio 8H to host “Saturday Night Live.”
Despite a 40-year history of lampooning politicians while inviting some to mock themselves as on-air guests, booking a presidential candidate to host the NBC sketch-comedy show is almost unprecedented.
Previously, only eight politicians served as guest hosts. Only one of those – the Rev. Al Sharpton, in 2003 – was actively involved in a presidential bid at the time. (Hillary Clinton appeared in last month’s season premiere, but not as the host.)
This won’t be Trump’s first turn as guest host. The billionaire developer and media celebrity presided in April 2004, a few weeks after NBC’s “The Apprentice” debuted.
This time, “SNL” will serve as a campaign stop on Trump’s drive for the Republican presidential nomination.
This week, NBC faced mounting pressure from a coalition of advocacy groups calling for Trump to be dropped from “SNL” for what one spokesman termed his “racist demagoguery.”
NBC has not responded to the outcry, and Trump’s 90 minutes in the “SNL” spotlight seemed certain.
Typically outspoken, Trump has welcomed the controversy, predicting it would only boost his audience.
Supermodel Gisele Bundchen launches photo book in Brazil
Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen has launched a book of over 300 photographs spanning her 20-year career just months after retiring from the catwalk.
Fan Marcelo Spencer said he arrived at midnight to be first in line for Friday’s debut in Sao Paulo and get his copy of “Gisele” signed by the supermodel, who retired in April.
Spencer said Bundchen treated him “very well” and wrote a simple dedication inside: “To Marcelo, handsome, blond, tall and thin. From your diva, Gisele.”
The Portuguese-language version of “Gisele” sells for either $500 or $925 for the deluxe edition.
Stallone still packs punch with Rocky fans ahead of ‘Creed’
There’s a scene in “Creed” where the latest brash boxer who challenges the upstart protege of Rocky Balboa barks, “No one cares about Balboa anymore!”
Yet, through 40 years of Rocky as an underdog, champion, and aging, widowed fighter, fans sure do care.
Dressed in robes, fedora hats and even boxing boots, the costumed enthusiasts chanting “Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!” Friday had one more reason to cheer for Philadelphia’s favorite fictional son.
Sylvester Stallone goes one more round as Balboa in the spinoff “Creed,” and he wants the character to tally even more before he joins Adrian, Apollo and Paulie in that great squared circle in the sky.
“There’s more to go,” Stallone said. “I would like to follow this character until eventually he’s an angel.”
The 69-year-old Stallone, writer of the first “Rocky” that earned 10 Academy Award nominations including best picture, promised more movies based on Balboa and Adonis Creed. Creed is the son of Rocky’s heavyweight rival and beach-running friend, Apollo Creed, and the titular character who coaxed Balboa out of retirement and into a trainer’s role in the movie set for a Nov. 25 release.