‘Do you really need pickles right now?’ Veronika Slowikowska joins Shane Gillis for his ‘SNL’ promo

For the second week in a row, ‘SNL’ ditches its long-running promo style for a series of quick bits.

Bill Kuchman Oct 7, 2026

Shane Gillis and Veronika Slowikowska — **Shane Gillis** and **Veronika Slowikowska**. / NBC

The host: Shane Gillis

The musical guest: Rosalía

Cast members in the promo: Veronika Slowikowska

Oh, I guess we’ve just given up making cool SNL promos for Wednesdays now. For the second week in a row, the show skipped doing the fun sketch-style promos that have been the standard for years.

After Dakota Johnson and Ashley Padilla teased last weekend’s episode, the duo of Shane Gillis and Veronika Slowikowska made the pitch for Gillis’s return to SNL through a series of quick bits. I’m not sure why we got a full promo for the Jalen Brunson season premiere, but it’s a bummer to see SNL abandon that format now.

It’s funny that right after I called out the push to feature Slowikowska’s singing talents in my review of Johnson’s episode, this promo immediately goes to the SNL sophomore singing.

Check out the complete list of SNL Season 52 hosts, musical guests and reviews.

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The Cold Open is a publication of The Omnicosm.
Issue No. 90

The Cold Open is written and produced by Bill Kuchman.
Copyediting by Tim Kuchman.

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Published in: The Cold Open • Host Promo, The Cold Open, SNL, Shane GIllis, Veronika Slowikowska

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The Omnicosm founder. Snackology, Popculturology and The Cold Open writer. A Rochester, N.Y., native now living in the Washington, D.C., area. Won’t pass up a Genny Cream Ale.

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