“SNL” adds four newcomers, plus a sorta-new guy

Now that it’s finished its 50th year, “Saturday Night Live” seems to be paying extra attention to its future.
The 51st season (starting Oct. 4) is adding five new people, one of biggest turnovers in decades. That includes Ben Marshall (shown here) — the towering redhead from “Please Don’t Destroy” videos — plus four lesser-knowns.
The show is also dropping some, but hasn’t said how many. In recent weeks, four people — Heidi Gardner, Devon Walker, Emil Watkin and Michael Longfellow — have said they won’t be back, without mentioning whether that’s by choice.
Marshall is from Savannah, but was at New York University when he linked with two others — both the sons of “SNL” writer-producers — to form the group. They were hired in 2021 to create (and often star in) offbeat videos. They also made a comedy movie for Peacock.
Now he becomes a regular cast member — possibly, at 6-foot-5, the tallest one ever. (Conan O’Brien, another redhead, listed his height at 6-4-and-a-half in his “SNL” days.
The other newcomers are stand-up comics Tommy Brennan (from Minnesota) and Kam Patterson (Orlando), plus Jeremy Culhane (California) and Veronica Slowikowska (Canada), both known for internet comedy.