The second richest man in America is set to host Saturday Night Live this coming May 8. Wait, what? No offense against Elon Musk but is the longest-running late-night comedy show all in it for the Musk support or ratings? 

Some SNL cast members were dumbfounded when the TV producers chose Elon Musk to host the May 8 show. The Tesla and SpaceX owner tweeted on his account, “Let’s find out just how live Saturday Night Live really is.”

Bowen Yang, an SNL cast member, posted his Instagram story referring to Musk’s Tweet and captioned it, “What the f—- does this even mean?”

Will this be the kind of joke we’ll hear from the business tycoon this coming May 8? I certainly hope not! 

Musk and His Insensitive Comments

Getting a bump in ratings and views is certainly every show’s goal. With SNL’s ratings spiraling downwards since last spring, it undeniably needs something that will create a stir. But is Elon Musk the kind of stir the show needs? It probably depends on whether or not you agree with some of his COVID-19 slurs. 

Elon Musk has received a bad rap about his insensitive comments on the COVID-19 pandemic. He compared the national stay-at-home mandates to “de facto house arrest,” as seen on his Tweet last April 29, 2020. He also said he doesn’t support the vaccine, and there’s no way he’s getting one because the “coronavirus panic is dumb.”

Does he even realize the number of deaths caused by the pandemic — 570,000 to be more approximate. And does he even realize that SNL’s long-time music producer Hal Willner was also a COVID-19 casualty and died in April last year? If I were to host SNL in the coming week, I’d take all that back! 

And a year after, voila, Elon Musk did. His tweet from April 8, 2021, said, “To be clear, I do support vaccines in general & covid vaccines specifically. The science is unequivocal. 

In very rare cases, there is an allergic reaction, but this is easily addressed with an EpiPen.”

SNL Cast and Fans Speak Up

Musk’s Tweet is perfect timing to be wholeheartedly welcomed by SNL cast members if you ask me. But some cast members are still criticizing this decision. One cast member Andrew Dismukes posted an Instagram story with the caption, “ONLY CEO I WANT TO DO A SKETCH WITH IS Cher-E Oteri.”

Another cast member Nora Dunn also vehemently refused to be on the show with the controversial CEO. And apparently, some Twitter users think so too.

Josh Gondelman tweeted, “Elon Musk hosting SNL is huge for guys still making “that’s what she said” jokes who think they’d be great at hosting SNL.

Eve 6, everyone’s favorite alt-rock band of the 90s also tweeted, “elon musk is incapable of being funny which in and of itself is funny but im sure snl will figure out a way to make it not funny”

And user Keith Edwards said, “Elon Musk hosting SNL is the most reckless casting decision they’ve made since Donald Trump.”

SNL aims to go for relevance and ratings this quarter. So they need to create a buzz and get people talking and posting on social media. But will Musk and his 45 million followers be the hero that saves the show? I guess there’s only one way to find out! 

Even a global pandemic can’t dim the glitz and glamor of the entertainment industry, as proven in the 93rd annual Academy Awards on April 25. If you’ve missed the Oscars telecast, here’s the lowdown on the best highlights of the night.

First off, let’s take a look at the Oscars winners this year.

Best Supporting Actor

Daniel Kaluuya won Best Supporting Actor for his acting in Judas and the Black Messiah. His co-star in the same film, Lakeith Stanfield, also got a nod for this award, along with Sacha Baron Cohen, Leslie Odom, Jr., and Paul Raci.

Best Supporting Actress

Minari’s Yuh-Jung Youn took home the Best Supporting Actress award. She bested other actresses who got a nod for the award, namely Maria Bakalova, Glenn Close, Olivia Colman, and Amanda Seyfried.

Best Picture

Nomadland snagged Best Picture this year. It won over The Father, Judas and the Black Messiah, Mank, Minari, Promising Young Woman, Sound of Metal, and The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Best Director 

Perhaps one of the most trending wins this year is Chloé Zhao, who took home Best Director for her work in Nomadland. Zhao is the first woman of color to win the award and the second woman to get the Oscars Best Director trophy. 

It was also the first time that two women got a nod for best director – Emerald Fennell also got a nod for her work on Promising Young Woman. Also nominated were Thomas Vinterberg, David Fincher, and Lee Isaac Chung. 

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

Though she didn’t win Best Director, Emerald Fennell nabbed the Best Writing award for an original screenplay for her work on Promising Young Woman. 

Best Actress

This year’s Oscars Best Actress is Frances McDormand for her impeccable performance in Nomadland. Viola Davis, Andra Day, Vanessa Kirby, and Carey Mulligan also got a nod for the award.

Best Actor

Anthony Hopkins took home the Best Actor trophy for his role in The Father, much to the dismay of Chadwick Boseman fans. The late actor got a nod for his performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom but wasn’t given a posthumous award (more on this below). 

Oscar Upsets

Without a doubt, the biggest Oscars upset was Anthony Hopkins winning over the late Chadwick Boseman for the best actor. Though Hopkins gave a stunning portrayal in The Father, Boseman won posthumous best actor awards at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, and Screen Actors Guild. 

In fact, many Boseman fans took to social media with their angry reactions over the turnout. After all, the Oscars producers switched the order of the awards this year to end with the best acting awards instead of the best picture. And many assumed that this move was a way to close the show with an award slash tribute for Boseman. Despite the upset, the Academy honored Boseman during the in memoriam segment. 

On the other hand, Hopkins did not attend the ceremony to accept the award, and the show abruptly ended after calling his name. The incident triggered a fire of tweets comparing the show to botched show finales, such as Game Of Thrones.

A Win for Streaming Services

With streaming services being the reigning channel amid movie house closures, Netflix shone in the Academy Awards. In fact, the company got a whopping 36 nods this year. Two of the best picture nominees, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Mank, are under the streaming giant.

Despite not earning a best picture Oscar statue, Netflix snagged seven awards. These included two trophies for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Best Documentary Feature for My Octopus Teacher. In the same vein, the company also got the live-action short film award for Two Distant Strangers and the Best-Animated Short-Film for If Anything Happens I Love You.

This success takes us back to when Netflix first got the Best Picture nod in 2019 for Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma. Back then, film observers thought insiders might have snubbed the film intentionally. Why? Probably due to anxiety that the streaming service is holding influence in Hollywood. However, this year’s nods and wins show that that anxiety may have vanished into thin air.

Aside from Netflix, streaming companies Amazon studios and Disney Plus got two wins each.

Oscars Amid the Pandemic

Holding the awards night amid a global pandemic brought restrictions due to health protocols. For instance, attendees had to rotate in and out of Union Station to limit the number of guests present. 

Despite the Union Station being the main venue, the producers spread the show across various locations due to travel restrictions. Program segments were also done in the Dolby Theatre and the Highland Center in Hollywood.

Face Masks On

Everyone at the venue needed to sport face masks. But just as with the rule in movie sets, people could only take off masks when they’re on camera. And when they’re not rolling, it was mask back on for all. 

On-stage banter between presenters and even winners was very much a part of the Oscars before. But those moments were lacking this year for obvious reasons. 

Glenn Close’s “Da Butt” Moves

The most viral moment of the night was probably Glenn Close’s “Da Butt” jiggle. The actress showed her bootylicious moves as she danced to Experience Unlimited’s song. 

But that aside, the show mainly focused on giving out the awards. The program also showed only a few sketches and pre-recorded the performances of best song nominees. It was a pretty tame show and understandably so, given the health situation. 

Red Carpet Head-Turners

Despite pandemic restrictions, stars gave fans a sense of awards night normalcy. How? Simple – they hit the red carpet with their usual pizzazz. 

Best Actress nominee Carey Mulligan stole the show with a gold ball gown.

On the other hand, Viola Davis, nominated for Best Actress for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” radiated in a white frock.

Best Supporting Actress nominee Maria Bakalova also dazzled in a luxe white gown.

While Best Supporting Actress nominee Amanda Seyfried looked amazing in a red number reminiscent of Old Hollywood style.

Warning: Spoilers

WandaVision’s season finale released last Friday, leaving fans trying to wrap their heads around what they just saw. The first Disney+ installment of the MCU was strange, to say the least and may have taken a little while to get some momentum, but delivered an impressive story from beginning to end. Unlike most new television series, WandaVision already had the trust of fans that the show would be worth the watch. It did not disappoint.

After a long year and a half hiatus from the MCU, fans sat down and watched WandaVision – Marvel’s first real foray into television (no, we’re not counting Agents of Shield or Agent Carter). There was a lot of buzz about how WandaVision could advance the story of the Avengers. Now that we’ve all had the chance to watch the season finale let’s unpack what WandaVision did (and did not) deliver.

Plot Breakdown

As a show, WandaVision offers two big things at once: a crafty, ever-changing format and a cryptic, slow-burning (at first) plot. The impressive feat is how the strong suit shifts from the style to the story.  Each episode is modeled to look like a different era of American television. The early episodes are black and white with a laugh track and cute little jingles à la I Love Lucy and The Dick Van Dyke Show. The set design, format, even dialogue shift throughout the season, emulating shows like The Brady Bunch, Step by Step, Malcolm in the Middle, and Modern Family.

The show even includes classic tv tropes like nosy neighbors, pets that come and go, and babies that grow up overnight. Even the fake commercials between scenes look like they were ripped from time. It seems poetic that as the MCU helps usher in a new TV era, it does so by paying an homage to all the eras before.

The story is not easy to wrap your head around at first. And if you haven’t seen any of the Marvel movies, forget it. Wanda and Vision are husband and wife living in a New Jersey suburb. They have their powers, Vision is still a synthezoid, but they masquerade as a normal American couple when around their neighbors.

Oh, so many questions.

First of all, why are we watching in black and white? Why is there a laugh track? More importantly, how is Vision alive? Thanos killed him. In the first couple episodes, WandaVision does little to explain itself – only dropping little hints that things aren’t exactly how they seem. For example, within two episodes, Wanda discovers she’s pregnant, gives birth, and then has two twin 10-year-old boys.

 A few episodes in, we meet characters who live outside of Wanda and Vision’s cookie-cutter town. Monica Rambeau, who we last saw as a young girl in Captain Marvel, is now a woman working for the government agency, S.W.O.R.D. We are reintroduced to FBI agent Jimmy Woo who we last saw in Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Darcy Lewis from the Thor movies.

The audience learns that Wanda and Vision’s hometown of Westview is under some kind of spell. Later, we learn that it is Wanda who controls the spell and everyone inside. While S.W.O.R.D. and the FBI work to end the hex around Westview, Wanda pushes back.

What the…?

Jaws hit the floor at the end of episode 5 when Wanda’s dead brother, Pietro, knocks on the door. However, the actor is not Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who played Pietro in the Avengers movies, but Evan Peters, who played him in the X-Men movies. (more on that later)

The big bomb drops at the end of episode 8. It is revealed that the lovable, meddling neighbor Agnes played by Kathryn Hahn, is really Agatha Harkness, a rival witch and the true antagonist in WandaVision.

The 8^th episode is the big payoff that puts all the pieces together. Agatha explains to Wanda that they are both witches, and Agatha wants Wanda’s powers for herself. She takes Wanda on a trip down memory lane. This is when we learn that growing up in Sokovia, Wanda was a big fan of American sitcoms – thus the reason for her spell. We got an intimate look at the love between Wanda and Vision. After Wanda lost her parents, her home was destroyed, and her brother dead, Vision was there for her, and she fell in love. Before Thanos killed vision, the two had plans to retire in Westview. Grief-stricken by Vision’s death, Wanda went to Westview, altered reality, recreated Vision, and put a spell on all its inhabitants.

The showdown in the finale pitted Wanda against Agatha, launching spells and mystic energy at one another high above Westview. Meanwhile, Vision fought against a replica made by S.W.O.R.D. The two synthezoids were too evenly matched until finally, the original Vision mind effed the duplicate with an existential dilemma. The all-white copy took off and disappeared, but only after the original Vision uploaded his thoughts and memories into him.

In the end, Wanda defeats Agatha and holds her prisoner under a spell as the nosy neighbor in Westview. After a heartfelt goodbye to her two boys and Vision, Wanda removes the Hex on Westview, and her family disappears.

No Mutants

There was speculation about whether or not WandaVision would introduce mutants into Marvel Cinematic Universe. The movie rights to the X-Men have belonged to Fox since the early ‘00s. When Disney officially acquired Fox in 2019, X-Men could legally join the MCU. In the comic books, Wanda was both a mutant and an Avenger. Fans have anxiously wondered how the MCU would introduce the X-Men. It was a popular theory that Wanda’s reality-bending abilities would be the mutants’ ticket in. Evan Peters played Quicksilver, aka Wanda’s brother Pietro in the X-Men movies. When Evan Peters showed up as Quicksilver in WandaVision, fans cheered as surely this meant they were blending the universes.

Nope

Evan Peters was a red herring, and he was merely a townsperson named Ralph Bohner, who Agatha was controlling.

WandaVision did not introduce any mutants (that we know of), but that doesn’t rule out that she will be the instrument the MCU uses in the future.

Powers Unleashed

When we first saw Wanda in The Avengers Age of Ultron, we didn’t really know much about her abilities. “He’s fast, and she’s weird,” says Maria Hill summing up Wanda and Pietro. She did some hypnotizing spells on Iron Man and the Avengers. We also see she can levitate create force fields. But in the comic books, Wanda’s abilities were expansive. Each installment after Ultron, we got a little more. She held her own in Captain America: Civil War. In Avengers: Endgame, she almost single-handedly defeated Thanos. WandaVision put a spotlight on just how powerful Wanda’s powers were and could grow to be. Says Agatha Harkness: “Your power exceeds that of the Sorcerer Supreme (Doctor Strange).”

Big Plans for Monica Rambeau

Monica Rambeau, played by Teyonah Paris, will play a big part in moving forward in the MCU. In WandaVision, she gets some cool powers by crossing through Wanda’s Hex. In the comic books, she can turn into any form of matter; she can travel at the speed of light, and of course, super strength and durability.

If you are a loyal fan of the MCU, you know that just because the credits are rolling doesn’t mean it’s over. WandaVision delivered plenty of mid and post-credit scenes. In one of the finale’s mid-credit scenes, a Skrull alien tells her she’s needed in space. She will be a key component in upcoming movies – most likely Captain Marvel 2.

What About Agatha

Agatha Harkness is one of the most interesting side characters in the Marvel comic book lure. She has spanned all different comic storylines, having ties to Wanda, the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and Ghost Rider. She points out that Wanda will need her in the future. To which, Wanda responds, “Then I’ll know where to find you.” And then Wanda turns Agatha into a suburban mind-slave. Harkness’s character has Loki-level potential to be a repeat offender.

MCU Can Make TV Shows

No other movie franchise has reached the peaks that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has. They managed to tell a 20 part story with dozens of dynamic characters and intricate plots. While some movies are better than others, the MCU standard has been, above all else, awesome. Now using the Disney+ platform, they have moved into the television scene. If WandaVision showed fans anything, it’s that the MCU can crush that medium as well. With high budget visual effects, complex plots, and consistent fan service, fans should have every bit of confidence that future MCU TV shows will be a level above ordinary programming.