"SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" CASTMEMBER AND OLYMPICS SUPER FAN LESLIE JONES IS COMING TO RIO!

Jones to Join NBC Olympics as a Contributor

RIO DE JANEIRO - August 8, 2016 - Saturday Night Live cast member and Olympics super fan Leslie Jones is coming to Rio! She will join NBC Olympics as a contributor for its coverage of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Starting this Friday, Jones will attend live Olympic events, meet athletes, and spread her enthusiasm for the Olympics on-air and online during NBC Olympics' coverage of Rio 2016.

Since the Games began, Jones has been live-tweeting her Olympic viewing experience, along with witty commentary and words of support for Team USA. At the start of the Games, Jones posted on Twitter a video of herself decked out in the American flag and wearing plastic gold medals, cheering for Team USA and displaying her love for the Olympics. Upon seeing this, NBC Olympics Executive Producer Jim Bell invited Jones to Rio. Bell tweeted at Jones: "You're officially invited to Rio. Want to come?" Jones accepted today.

"We're thrilled to have Leslie come to the Olympics," said Bell. "She's a member of the family, and her passion for the Olympics is remarkable."

In 2014, Jones was hired by SNL as a writer, and quickly gained popularity after a memorable on-air appearance during the show's "Weekend Update" segment as herself. Upon returning for the show's 40th season, Jones became a cast member. Essence Magazine noted Jones' rise to success as "meteoric," while Vulture has cited Jones as an "SNL standout due to her brash sensibility, humor, and forceful presence."

Her film credits include Paul Feig's Ghostbusters, starring alongside Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig and Kate McKinnon, and the upcoming Masterminds.

About NBC Olympics

A division of NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal's Olympic Games coverage. It is renowned for its unsurpassed Olympic heritage, award-winning production, and ability to aggregate the largest audiences in U.S. television history. The London 2012 Olympic Games were watched by 217 million Americans across the networks of NBCUniversal, making it the most-watched event in U.S. television history.