Entertainment TV 'SNL' 's Leslie Jones to Host BET Awards: 'I'll Make the Elephant in the Room Laugh' By Patrick Gomez Patrick Gomez Patrick Gomez is the Editor in Chief/General Manager of Entertainment Weekly. Formerly at People magazine and The A.V. Club, the Critics Choice and Television Critics Association member has appeared on 'Today,' 'Extra!,' 'Access Hollywood,' 'E! News,' 'CNN,' and 'Nightline,' and can be seen frequently on 'Good Morning America.' Follow the Texas Native at @PatrickGomezLA wherever your media is social for all things 'For All Mankind' 'Top Chef,' and puppy related. People Editorial Guidelines Published on May 24, 2017 09:00 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Leslie Jones is going back to where it all started. The Saturday Night Live and Ghostbusters star will host the 2017 BET Awards, PEOPLE can reveal exclusively. “BET was the first place I ever did comedy on TV, so it’s a full-circle moment of coming home where I started,” Jones, 49, tells PEOPLE. “I went out in the world and did what I needed to do and now I can come home to my people and say, ‘Yo! Look what I did!'” Jones has experience mixing politics with comedy thanks to her three seasons on SNL, but don’t look for her to get too serious during the show. “I am tired of everybody being sad and angry. I want people to just downright laugh. You can’t do the event without touching on certain things, but I’m trying to make it all funny. It’s really just about pulling the elephants out of the room and, actually, I’ll make the elephant in the room laugh about it,” says Jones. “So my goal for this show is to have a big ‘ol nice barbecue, family reunion feel. I just want everyone cracking up. I want everyone leaving that event going, ‘Wait, did they even give awards out? I was too busy laughing.'” RELATED VIDEO: Leslie Jones and Katy Perry Have an Epic Sing-Off to Bruno Mars at SNL Afterparty Jones is incredibly excited to host the TV network’s 17th annual awards show — and meet the members of New Edition — but don’t expect her to follow in the steps of past awards show hosts who change outfits every commercial break. RELATED VIDEO: Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon Talk Cat Hair, Naked Binge-Watching and ‘Fashion Sweats’ “I’m not trying to be Giselle,” says Jones. “I’ll get dressed up for the red carpet or the party but on stage I’m going to wear something like what I wear when I do stand-up. It’s all about being comfortable.” The 2017 BET Awards will air live Sunday, June 25 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET.