Minnesota native Tommy Brennan will be joining “Saturday Night Live.”
The stand-up comic is among at least [five new members](https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/snl-new-cast-members-season-51-photos) in what creator Lorne Michaels has described as a “shaking up” season.
Brennan developed his comedy chops in Chicago, but he’s no stranger to the Twin Cities stage. He earned big laughs at the 1,000 Laughs Comedy Festival in 2023 and performed at the [Comedy Corner Underground](https://www.startribune.com/comedian-brian-regan-explains-why-hell-be-spending-new-years-eve-in-minneapolis/600330683) on New Year’s Eve later that same year. He recently did stand-up on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
Brennan lists his hometown as St. Paul. According to his LinkedIn profile, he used to work at the Wehmann Talent Agency in Hopkins from age “8 to 18,” and later tended bar at Companeros Mexican Restaurant in Park Rapids. His act includes routines about growing up with seven siblings in the Midwest and misadventures in online dating.
Brennan is scheduled to perform Oct. 3 at Sispyhus Brewing Co. in Minneapolis, but that show could be re-scheduled or canceled depending to the “SNL” shooting schedule.
According to NBC, Brennan will be joined by newcomers Veronika Slowikowska, Jeremy Culhane and Kam Patterson. They are coming on board as featured players, which is sort the equivalent of a B squad on a sports team. Ben Marshall, part of the “Please Don’t Destroy” writing team, will also be a featured cast member.
The news comes in the wake of several high-profile departures. Heidi Gardner, who has been with the late-night staple since 2017, is among those who won’t be returning.
Minnesotans Al Franken and Tom Davis were key members of the writing staff when the show debuted in 1975. But there haven’t been many strong ties to the state in subsequent years.