Tonight was supposed to be a "Christmas spectacular" for the season finale of this American TV icon that has managed to stay on air with full cast & live performances during 2021. Instead of going forward with the show planned, most of the cast and crew were not present. This could be viewed as some indication of the seriousness of this newest threat from COVID.

Even during the very hard times of COVID 2020, the show rebounded & went on... However, production of tonight’s “SNL” was thrown into disarray late this week when numerous cast members tested positive for COVID-19.

"Tina Fey and Tom Hanks popped up to try to breathe some life into a sad “Saturday Night Live” after the live audience was cut, and cast and crew trimmed, because of surging COVID cases before the final show of the year." Host Paul Rudd and longtime cast members Michael Che & Kenan Thomson were the only other performers in the studio. Most of tonight's show was made up of prerecorded reruns from previous years.

"Produced at Rockefeller Center, where the Rockettes’ Christmas Spectacular was shut down the previous day because of breakthrough COVID cases, "SNL' announced their changes just hours before the show. These changes were made 'due to the recent spike in the Omicron variant and out of an abundance of caution.'"

"Singer Charli XCX had been scheduled to perform, but announced Saturday afternoon that she was bowing out, adding: 'I am devastated and heartbroken.' She urged her fans to get vaccinated."

Just 2 musicians were present for tonight's show & can be seen in the above photo.

Obviously, we are entering a new era of COVID.