By Mukesh 
You might associate “Saturday Night Live” with being, well, live. And it is, mostly. But the show also includes “pretape” sketches through fake ads, music videos and shorts. Every short is its own mini production, and the crew effectively starts from scratch. Even fart jokes take time to prepare.
Here’s what you need to know
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Poll: President Trump’s approval rating has hit a second-term low of 37 percent as voters question his handling of the economy, according to a New York Times/Siena poll.
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Commute: Long Island Rail Road workers are on strike, shutting down the entire service, which carries more than a quarter-million riders daily. (Stranded? Here are some limited alternatives.)
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Ebola: The World Health Organization declared a global health emergency after an outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda that has killed nearly 90 people.
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Middle East: Trump threatened renewed war with Iran, as tensions surged again in the region. He warned: “the Clock is Ticking.”
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On campus: Trustees at Cornell University blamed a small group of students for an incident in which the university’s president bumped his vehicle into them.
On a romantic note …
Two things you didn’t need to know but now do:
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What’s your favorite rom-com trope? I think mine is friends to lovers, but I don’t mind dabbling in other tropes from time to time. (“Heated Rivalry,” anyone?) The best-selling author Emily Henry shared her favorite enemies-to-lovers romance novels. See her picks.
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Speaking of hockey smut: A new show called “Off Campus” is the latest addition to the genre. Two of the stars, Belmont Cameli and Stephen Kalyn, said they were ready to be the next internet boyfriends. (I started the show, which is streaming on Amazon Prime Video, yesterday. I’ll let you know what I think!)
The N.B.A. Eastern Conference finals start tomorrow. The experts at The Athletic think the New York Knicks are in position to make their first N.B.A. Finals since 1999.
Before you go, a quick recommendation
If you can’t snag a reservation at any of our picks for the best 100 restaurants in New York, try making some of the dishes at home. Yes, those pancakes from Golden Diner are really that good.