The live studio audience for the premiere of Saturday Night Live with Chris Rock and Meghan Thee Stallion were paid $150 to attend the show in New York. This was done to make the show in compliance with the rules set by the state of New York. It was made as a rule that no audience members would be allowed other than crew members.
People were amazed at first but then left in joy because even though they had to go through rapid testing and double face masks, they were able to have a good time amidst the madness happening everywhere. The tickets were available through a third party website and the audience members had to declare that they were not carrying the Coronavirus.