SNL's Cast Won't Be Forced to Appear in Sketches with Elon Musk

The Tesla CEO's upcoming SNL appearance is causing a stir at Studio 8H.

Less than a week out from his Saturday Night Live debut, Elon Musk is already proving to be one of the more divisive hosts in recent memory.

In fact, several cast members have voiced their reluctance to even appear in a sketch with the controversial Tesla CEO. On Instagram, writer and featured player, Andrew Dismukes, claimed the only CEO he'd do a sketch with is Studio 8H alum, Cheri Oteri. Meanwhile, after Musk tweeted, "Let’s find out just how live Saturday Night Live really is," Bowen Yang posted a screenshot with the caption, "What the fuck does this even mean?" And veteran cast member may have Aidy Bryant opted for a slightly more subtle rebuke by reposting a Bernie Sanders tweet that called the American wealth gap a "moral obscenity," which seems to have been taken as a jab at the union-busting anti-vax billionaire.

Luckily, no cast members will be forced to participate in a sketch with Musk should they choose against it. According to Page Six sources, SNL producer and creator, Lorne Michaels, won't be making any of the players step on stage with Musk. "Speaking historically, if a cast member has been that unhappy, they don’t have to do it," a source tells the publication. " [Michaels] won’t ever make them do anything they don’t want to do," the source adds.

And while Musk's appearance seems to be causing quite a stir in the cast's ranks, at least one SNL mainstay welcomes the challenge of working with a cold and emotionless cryptocrat. "I am excited to meet him," says SNL lead writer and Weekend Update co-anchor, Michael Che, in a recent appearance on The Tonight Show, joking about the show's long-running tradition of hosts giving a few million to each cast member.

Musk will appear on SNL, for better or worse, next Saturday, May 8th, with Miley Cyrus as his musical guest. Tune in next week to see how it all unfolds.