Tommy Brennan makes his first big ‘SNL’ appearance

It took three episodes into the season, but St. Paul native Tommy Brennan finally got some substantial screen time on this weekend’s “Saturday Night Live.” Brennan is one of five new featured players added to the cast of the venerable sketch comedy show’s 51st season.

Brennan, 31, appeared as himself during a segment on “Weekend Update.” Co-host Colin Jost introduced Brennan and asked what he thought about New York City given that he just moved there.

“Well, it’s a little different from home,” Brennan said in the three and a half minute appearance. “I’m from the Midwest. Not sure if you can tell from my kind eyes and secret drinking problem. But I’m from a big, Minnesotan family. I’m one of eight kids.”

“Eight kids, wow, you do not see that a lot,” Jost said.

“Yeah. I think probably ’cause it’s the wrong choice,” Brennan responded, to laughs from the audience.

Brennan, who had previously just played small background parts, went on to describe how his childhood home had a cafeteria-style milk machine and a milkman who delivered.

“Tim the milkman was a big part of my life,” Brennan said. “He’d show up, he’d replace the milk, we’d play catch, he’d call me ‘son.’ I’d be, like, ‘Why do I look so much like you?’ ”

Jost joked that it sounds like Brennan grew up in the 1930s.

“I didn’t, but I do look like I did. I look like a locket photo during World War I. You know, I look like a guy who was really good at football pre-integration,” Brennan said to more chuckles from the crowd.

Brennan went on to say he loves the subway and that he finally worked up the nerve to jump his first turn style: “It was cool. It was exhilarating. It was thrilling. It was, uh, it was on the way out. But, like, it felt good. It still counts, you know?”

During the segment’s final minute, Brennan joked about how his Catholic upbringing always made him feel guilty and how he couldn’t confess to “the one sin that me and every other 12-year-old boy was committing constantly.”

Brennan will have to fight for future screentime, given the size of the “SNL” cast, which boasts 10 repertory players and seven featured players.