Paul Rudd attends the premiere of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” at AMC Lincoln Square 13 Nov. 15, 2021, in New York. Rudd hosted SNL for the fifth time on Saturday, but the show was filmed without a live audience.
Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
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Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Paul Rudd attends the premiere of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” at AMC Lincoln Square 13 Nov. 15, 2021, in New York. Rudd hosted SNL for the fifth time on Saturday, but the show was filmed without a live audience.
Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Showing the omicron variant was no joke, Saturday Night Live taped its latest show over the weekend without a live audience, as COVID-19 cases were rising again across the U.S. and experts were warning of another surge of infections.
NBC’s live sketch comedy show also had a limited cast and crew for the pared-down broadcast, which featured host Paul Rudd in person.
“I’m extremely disappointed,” Rudd said with a smile during the opening monologue. Fellow actors Tom Hanks, Tina Fey and Kenan Thompson were on hand to induct him into the “Five Timers Club” of people who’ve hosted SNL at least five times.
But the show, as originally planned, did not go on.
The highly transmissible omicron variant has once again upended life in the U.S., as officials warn of a coming spike of infections and people race to get booster shots and coronavirus tests during the winter holiday season.
Although there’s still a lot…