Continuing her bid for world domination, Quinta Brunson (the Emmy-winning mind behind "Abbott Elementary," and also the star of the series) is set to make her "Saturday Night Live" debut on April 1. The news was announced during this week's episode, hosted by Scream Queen Jenna Ortega. For Brunson's episode, the musical guest will be rapper and singer Lil Yachty, hot off the release of his critically acclaimed new album, "Let's Start Here."
Quinta and Lil Yachty! pic.twitter.com/QYLO0UqYzG
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) March 12, 2023
Speaking of critical acclaim, "Abbott Elementary" remains exceedingly popular in its sophomore season, still universally beloved and revered. Going from a (fake) classroom to a live studio is quite the transition, but Brunson also has a strong past in sketch comedy thanks to prior credits on "A Black Lady Sketch Show" and her time as a content creator for BuzzFeed. Also, as "Abbott" proves on a weekly basis, her charm is off the charts and hilarity is clearly second nature. Brunson's rise to the top has been an absolute joy to witness, but there is one wrinkle in the festivities of her "SNL" debut: the episode coincides with an upcoming IATSE strike.
Union editors are hand-billing outside 30 Rock to let @nbcsnl standby patrons know about @NBCUniversal's recalcitrant bargaining! A STRIKE DATE is set for April 1! pic.twitter.com/xNBW9Ow5cH
— IATSE // #IASolidarity (@IATSE) March 11, 2023
Since October, "SNL" editing crew members have been embroiled in contract negotiations with NBCUniversal, after calls for the company to pay editors industry standard rates and provide appropriate health benefits. Negotiations have since stalled due to a few sticking points, but most notably the issue of health benefits. So days ago, the group set an April 1st deadline and announced an intent to halt work, should bargaining sessions continue to stall.
SNL Editors Expect To Strike On April 1
In a recent report, Variety outlined the specifics behind the potential strike, noting that "members of the 'SNL' editing team are paid rates far below industry standards, while colleagues working other jobs on the show receive pay appropriate to their crafts." The wage proposals presented by the company have yet to meaningfully address that gap.
Also falling short of industry-standard are the annual increases offered by NBCUniversal, which don't line up with the increased cost of living. As for healthcare, the company has argued for a two-tiered health insurance system despite the fact that it might mean reduced benefits for future editors.
Alan Heim, president of the Motion Picture Editors Guild has already spoken out on the matter to say: "Strikes are not funny, and it's also not funny that NBCU is driving us to take this step to guarantee fair pay and benefits for our members." Heim added, "The fact is that these workers play a key role in making 'SNL' the comedy institution that it is and they deserve the same standards as other workers on the show have."
Sources claim that NBC has committed to closing the negotiations by the end of the month. Until then, the image announcing Brunson and Lil Yachty's SNL debuts won't be getting much traction from crew members, who are instead positing an alt version of the SNL announcement image, as shared below.
On 4/1, our crew will have either a contract or a picket line at #SNL. pic.twitter.com/LmizNyKamG
— Motion Picture Editors Guild – Local 700 (@MPEG700) March 9, 2023
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