Live comedy sink or swim: Phelps to open 'SNL'

LOS ANGELES (AP) Butterfly, freestyle, relay - monologue? Michael Phelps is trading the pool for the "Saturday Night Live" stage.

The recording-breaking swimmer, who took home eight gold medals at the Bejing Olympics, will host the 34th season premiere of NBC's long-running late-night sketch-comedy series on Sept. 13. Joining the 23-year-old athlete as musical guest will be rapper Lil Wayne.

It will be the debut "SNL" appearances for both.

The network will air seven new "SNL" episodes before November's presidential election. The Sept. 13th premiere will mark the beginning of four new "SNL" shows in a row. NBC will also air three prime-time episodes of "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday," a special half-hour "Weekend Update" edition of the show, beginning Oct. 9.

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