The Winter Olympics Found the Perfect Commentator: S.N.L.’s Leslie Jones
There is no greater fan of the Olympics than Leslie Jones. Back in 2016, the Saturday Night Live sta..
There is no greater fan of the Olympics than Leslie Jones. Back in 2016, the Saturday Night Live star was such an emphatic live-tweeter of the Rio Olympics that NBC ended up flying her to Brazil to give her the ultimate viewing experience, where she could joyously cheer on stars like Michael Phelps and Simone Biles in person. Now that the Winter Olympics are around the corner, NBC is giving Jones an even bigger upgrade: the comedian is now an official contributor to the network’s Olympics coverage, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She’ll be attending live events, meeting athletes, and giving online and televised coverage, T.H.R. says.
“Experiencing the Olympics through the lens of Leslie is unlike anything else. Her passion for Team USA is contagious, and her adventures in South Korea should be fascinating,” said NBC's president of Olympics production and programming, Jim Bell, according to T.H.R.
Jones is already gearing up for the big event, sharing a video of herself wearing an American flag-themed outfit and training on an elliptical.
Jones was one of the highlights of the 2016 Rio Olympics, excitedly recording videos of herself cheering on American Olympians and passionately watching every competition, from rowing to beach volleyball. No matter the sport, there she was, bellowing on the sidelines and excitedly tweeting messages like “CHEAH!!” into the world.
Jones also had a spread of meet-and-greet opportunities, sharing photos of herself with swimming champions like Simone Manuel and Katie Ledecky, and fellow actors turned Olympic devotees like Matthew McConaughey.
She also took on more serious tasks, like encouraging viewers to support gymnast Gabby Douglas, who was facing some criticism online for not placing her hand over her heart during the national anthem. Jones’s fandom was pure and true and deeply unbridled—perhaps even the uniting force this country needs every once in a while.
The Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony will kick off in PyeongChang on February 9, so you have less than two weeks to get on Jones’s level.
Get Vanity Fair’s HWD NewsletterSign up for essential industry and award news from Hollywood.Full ScreenPhotos:The Must-See Looks from the Black Panther Red CarpetYohana DestaYohana Desta is a Hollywood writer for VanityFair.com.
