Elon Musk Shares He Has Asperger's, Jokes About Son's Unique Name on 'SNL'

The SpaceX founder made his 'SNL' hosting debut this week.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk told viewers that he has Asperger's while guest hosting this week's Saturday Night Live. 

"It's an honor to be hosting Saturday Night Live, I mean that. Sometimes after I say something, I have to say I mean that so people really know I mean it. That's because I've always had a lot of intonational variation when I speak, which I've been told makes for great comedy," Musk said. "I'm actually making history tonight as the first person with Asperger's to host SNL. Or at least the first to admit it."

Asperger syndrome is a high functioning condition on the autism spectrum, which can affect a person's ability to socialize and communicate. While many fans praised Musk for being open about having Asperger's, others noted that he's not SNL's first host with the condition. Former SNL cast member Dan Aykroyd, who has spoken publicly about living with Asperger’s, hosted the show in 2003. 

Elsewhere in his opening monologue, Musk discussed his vision for the future, his tweets and his son's name. 

The SpaceX founder -- who shares 1-year-old son X Æ A-XII with Grimes -- joked that his son's name is pronounced like a "cat running across the keyboard." 

After the airing of the episode, a source told ET that Musk "was a complete professional, showed up on time, was polite, and invested in the process of the show."

"He earned the respect of the cast putting in long hours on set and eager to learn to process," the source continued. "Everyone was really impressed how he came with no ego and just wanted to do the work."

Saturday Night Live airs live, coast-to-coast, at 11:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. PT on NBC.

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