Entertainment

SNL gears up for season opener with Ryan Gosling, Jay-Z

Saturday Night Live kicks off its new season with Canadian Ryan Gosling as host, Jay-Z as the musical guest — and pretty likely some jokes at the expense of the White House.

Last season was comedy show's most-watched thanks to impersonations by Alec Baldwin, Melissa McCarthy

Ryan Gosling will host the 43rd season opener of Saturday Night Live on Sept. 30. Jay-Z will be the musical guest. (The Associated Press)

Saturday Night Live kicks off its new season with Canadian Ryan Gosling as host, Jay-Z as the musical guest — and pretty likely some jokes at the expense of the White House.

The sketch comedy show starts up again Saturday and is hoping to build off one of its most-watched seasons in more than two decades thanks to Alec Baldwin's turn as President Donald Trump and Melissa McCarthy's appearances as former White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

Both actors recently won Emmys for their work, as did Kate McKinnon, who played Hillary Clinton on the show.

The 90-minute show is now entering its 43rd season. It has grown so popular that it spun off the half-hour Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Summer Edition while the main show was on break.