This week on Saturday Night Live, Donald Glover pulls double-duty as host, and as musical guest as Childish Gambino!

Donald Glover’s résumé is padded with high profile comedy credits. He gained attention with sketch group Derrick Comedy, publishing short comedy videos to YouTube between 2006 and 2009, many of which have gone viral. He’s written for an Emmy-winning NBC sitcom (30 Rock) and starred in another (Community). Glover is also a successful stand-up comedian, with two Comedy Central specials that he’s toured over the years.

 

Donald Glover is one of those “polymaths” you might keep hearing about. This guy is just good at everything he does. Aside from being a successful comedian, he’s released three albums, two of which have been certified gold. He has his series Atlanta, which he created, stars in, writes for and directs. And now, he’s Lando freaking Calrissian in the upcoming Star Wars movie, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and Simba in the upcoming live-action remake of The Lion King.

So what does this mean for Saturday Night Live? Well, for starters, Donald Glover has double duty, being the host and musical guest. While an impressive feat – if he can pull it off (he can) – it’s not that big of a deal anymore. It doesn’t happen every year. The last double-duty host was Drake in 2016; Miley Cyrus before that in the same season for the premiere. And before them, Bruno Mars, Mick Jagger, Jennifer Lopez and even Britney Spears have done both jobs in the same evening.

The whole hosting under one name, performing with another is different, though. It’s happened before – Garth Brooks hosted as himself, but performed musical duties as his short-lived rock and roll character Chris Gaines. But unlike the failed Gaines experiment, Glover isn’t trying to be a different person under the stage name Childish Gambino – it’s just his other stage name. Still – will he ever have to refer to himself in third person during the evening?

During an interview with Stephen Colbert on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Donald Glover showed the difference between himself and Childish Gambino.

Glover has comedy chops, and specifically, sketch comedy chops with Derrick Comedy. It’s what started him toward becoming the Donald Glover known today. So be sure to tune in to Saturday Night Live this weekend (May 5th) at 11.35 et/8.30 pt for what is sure to be a great episode hosted by Donald Glover!