Druski’s ‘SNL’ Episode Draws 5.6 Million, a Two-year Peak
WHO:
Deadline - Druski hosted the episode of “Saturday Night Live”; The Strokes were the musical guest.
Variety - Druski hosted the episode, with The Strokes as musical guest.
LateNighter - Druski hosted the episode, with The Strokes as musical guest.
LateNighter - Texas senator-elect James Talarico appeared in the cold open alongside James Austin Johnson portraying Donald Trump. Talarico had won a victory over Republican Ken Paxton.
LateNighter - John Mulaney was scheduled to return for his seventh SNL hosting stint, with Phoebe Bridgers as musical guest.
WHAT:
LateNighter - The episode averaged 5,585,000 viewers and had a 19.02% average share among all viewers; among adults 18–49, it averaged 1,504,000 viewers and had a 22.06% average share.
Deadline - The episode drew 5.6 million Live+Same Day viewers across NBC and Peacock, the most watched SNL episode in two years.
Variety - The episode drew 5.6 million viewers, exceeding the previous Season 52 record of 5.2 million for the Halloween episode hosted by Inde Navarrette, with Gracie Abrams as musical guest.
LateNighter - Nielsen Live+Same Day figures showed 5.6 million total viewers and 1.5 million adults ages 18–49. The episode’s ratings were up 8% in total viewers and 18% in the 18–49 demo from the Halloween episode.
LateNighter - Compared with the fifth episode of the previous season, hosted by Nikki Glaser with musical guest sombr, Druski’s episode was up 39% in total viewers and 105% in the 18–49 demo.
LateNighter - The Miami–Notre Dame college football game drew 8.5 million viewers, including 2.4 million adults ages 18–49. The Ohio State–USC game drew 6.6 million viewers, including 1.8 million adults ages 18–49.
LateNighter - SNL’s most recent larger audience was 6.8 million viewers, with 1.7 million adults ages 18–49; that episode featured John Mulaney and musical guest Chappell Roan.
LateNighter - The Talarico cold open became the most-watched video of Season 52 on YouTube, surpassing 11 million views.
LateNighter - Nielsen’s Live+3 ratings, which include three days of delayed viewing, were expected to increase the episode’s reported audience. The October 31 episode gained 1.3 million viewers over three days, reaching 6.5 million; its 18–49 audience grew 23% to nearly 1.6 million.
WHERE:
Deadline - The audience figure covered NBC and Peacock.
LateNighter - Talarico was identified as a Texas senator-elect.
HOW:
Deadline - The article characterized Druski as the first online personality to host “Saturday Night Live” and said his episode could encourage more digital creators to host.
LateNighter - The reported figures were Nielsen Live+Same Day ratings. LateNighter said those figures exclude live Peacock viewing and the show’s performance on social platforms.
(UPDATED November 12, 2026 01:16 UTC)
Druski hosted Saturday Night Live, with The Strokes performing. The episode drew 5.6 million viewers, its biggest audience in two years. Texas senator-elect James Talarico appeared in a cold open that topped 11 million YouTube views.
--
(UPDATED November 11, 2026 18:02 UTC)
Druski hosted Saturday Night Live with The Strokes, drawing 5.6 million viewers across NBC and Peacock. That was the show’s biggest audience in two years, topping its previous season record. A cold-open appearance by Texas senator-elect James Talarico also became the season’s most-watched YouTube video.