Now that the Saturday Night Live writing staff is officially losing sleep in preparation for season 52’s big premiere this weekend hosted by Jalen Brunson, it’s only right that we find out who they are. Following last week’s news that the show is adding two new players to its cast (Grace Reiter and Saidah Belo-Osagie) ahead of the upcoming season, NBC is now announcing that they’ve also hired two new writers to ply them with material: Bam Alston and Chase Rosenberg. They’ll join a writing staff that remains mostly unchanged from last season, with the notable omissions of Martin Herlihy and Rachel Pegram, who will not be returning. Familiarize yourself with the show’s new writers, and see the full season-52 writing staff, below.
Bam Alston
Alston is a New York–based improviser, actor, and writer originally from Raleigh, North Carolina. He began performing improv at the DSI Comedy Theater in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in 2014, before going on to work as a coach and performer at the Washington Improv Theater in D.C. According to one Instagram post, he already has some experience collaborating with SNL senior writer Bryan Tucker, who lent his “expertise” to a few shows Alston staged in 2025 in his home state.
Chase Rosenberg
Rosenberg is a comedian and singer who is best known for their work with the legendary L.A. sketch troupe the Groundlings, the SNL-feeder institution responsible for incubating cast members like Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and, most recently, Ashley Padilla. Prior to joining SNL, Rosenberg was a cast member of the troupe’s stage show, co-hosted a drag variety show at the theater called Lipsmack, and appeared regularly as a player in Groundlings Originals digital content.
Head Writers
• Kent Sublette
• Streeter Seidell
• Alison Gates
• Erik Kenward
Senior Writer
• Bryan Tucker
Supervising Writers
• Dan Bulla
• Jake Nordwind
• Will Stephen
Writers
• Bam Alston
• Jack Bensinger
• Michael Che
• Mike DiCenzo
• Tucker Flodman
• Jimmy Fowlie
• Maxwell Gay
• Steve Higgins
• Colin Jost
• Allie Levitan
• Claire McFadden
• Lorne Michaels
• Ceara Jane O’Sullivan
• Moss Perricone
• Chase Rosenberg
• Jo Sunday
• Carl Tart
• Asha Ward
• Maddie Wiener
Weekend Update Head Writer
• Pete Schultz
Weekend Update Writers and Producers
• Megan Callahan-Shah
• Dennis McNicholas
• Josh Patten
• KC Shornima
• Scott Weinstein