On ‘SNL,’ Keke Palmer confirms the rumors: She’s pregnant

Keke Palmer is booked and busy, as she attested to during her opening monologue on ”Saturday Night Live.” The Chicago area native has appeared in several films and shows, including “Nope,” “Alice,” “Lightyear,” “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” and “Human Resources.”

But the longtime performer is taking on a new role: Mom.

During her opening monologue of Saturday’s episode of the NBC sketch comedy show, Palmer, 29, said she wanted to address some rumors that had been circulating about her as of late.

“People have been in my comments saying, ‘Keke’s having a baby,’ ‘Keke’s pregnant,’ “ she said. “And I want to set the record straight: I am.”

She unbuttoned an oversized trench coat to reveal a crop top and a baby bump, garnering a booming round of cheers and applause. Palmer joked that it’s “bad when people spread rumors about you on the internet ... but it’s even worse when they’re correct.”

She continued: “I was trying to keep it on the down-low because I’ve got a lot of stuff going on. People coming up to me going, ‘Congratulations!’ I’m like, ‘Shh, can y’all stop? I’ve got a liquor sponsorship on the line. Let the check clear.’ ”

Palmer’s representative Lauren Auslander confirmed the announcement.

Palmer grew up in south suburban Robbins, and her first acting appearance was in the Chicago-made “Barbershop 2: Back in Business” in 2004. Since then, she has become a mainstay in the entertainment industry as an actress, singer, comedian and TV host.

“This has been the biggest blessing,” she continued of her pregnancy news. “I’m so excited. I want to be a mom. Even though some people feel a little weird about me being pregnant because I was a child actor, but I’m 29, I’m grown.”

Toward the end of the episode, Palmer again showed off her baby bump while playing a pregnant character at a doctor’s check-up, where she watches her overactive twins through the ultrasound monitor as they breakdance, place a Filet-O-Fish delivery order and put out a fire in the womb sparked by Palmer eating Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

It isn’t the first time an “SNL” host has used the platform to announce a pregnancy. In 2018, Cardi B broke the news during her own debut on the show while performing, showing off a baby bump for the first time.