‘Saturday Night Live’ preview: Paul Rudd, One Direction prepare for the big show

You really didn’t think that “Saturday Night Live” was going to let the entire week go by without releasing a promo featuring One Direction, did you? This is the sell of their show tonight just as much as host Paul Rudd, given that there are probably going to be at least a few (well probably more than a few) female viewers out there who are checking out the show just because they want to see the boys perform … and possibly participate in a sketch.

The last time that we saw Harry, Niall, Liam, Louis, and Zayn all appear on the NBC late-night hit, they did briefly take part in a sketch, but this hasn’t been a big year for musical guests doing sketches this time around, save for the “new cast member or Arcade Fire member” earlier this year that had Lorne Michaels hilariously saying that Kenan was the latest addition to the show.

We can’t really say that this preview below is particularly funny, mostly because a few of the jokes are all deviations on the same thing: Paul really wants to be a member of the band, and so badly that he is willing to show off his vocal range. But, we do love the very end of it, when he pretends to faint just so the boys can hold him. This at least shows again that these guys have a sense of humor about themselves, and the crazy sort of fan following that they’ve assembled around the world in the time since they first emerged from “The X Factor” in the UK. Rudd, for those of you younger viewers, is known for being in a ton of awesome comedies and also the upcoming “Anchorman 2.”

What do you think about this “Saturday Night Live” preview, and are your expectations high for Paul and the group? Share your thoughts with a comment below! Also, click here if you missed the earlier preview featuring Paul and Vanessa Bayer.

Photo: NBC