“The Office” star Ed Helms set to host “Saturday Night Live” for the first time

Ed Helms

Ed Helms, who’s best known for his roles in the 2009 hit comedy “The Hangover” and NBC sitcom “The Office” will be hosting “Saturday Night Live” for the first time. NBC executives have confirmed that the Atlanta-born actor will be part of the late-night television sketch show in May, while promoting the release of “The Hangover Part II,” which also stars Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis.

Helms will host a week before the show’s season finale, which will have Justin Timberlake as host and Lady Gaga as musical guest.

But before Helms takes the stage at “SNL” next month, he’ll be playing the banjo on a different stage in Hollywood with fellow banjo player and funnyman Steve Martin at the second-annual Los Angeles Bluegrass Situation.

Created by Helms, the five-day festival has attracted other celebrities like Jackson Browne, John C. Reily, Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings.

During last year’s festival kick off, Helms told AOL’s music website Spinner he knew the community needed a music festival like this.

“They’re such a great community-building event and there’s just nothing like that here in L.A.,” Helms said. “But I know that there are bluegrass fans and I know there’s kind of a community waiting to gel.”

The actor, who sometimes serves as correspondent on “The Daily Show,” added: “I just think when people are exposed to it they respond to it,” he says of bluegrass. As he also points out though, the fest isn’t just bluegrass. “The other thing is you can see from the lineup it’s not exclusively bluegrass per se. That’s sort of the umbrella and we’re proud to make that association.”

Helms will host “SNL” on May 14.