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See ‘SNL’ star Leslie Jones slay all day from the Rio Olympics

Actor Leslie Jones poses for a portraits at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles on July 8, 2016. Jones is in Rio covering the Olympics, thanks to her sterling social media coverage.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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America’s favorite amateur Olympics commentator took her game international as actress and comedian Leslie Jones arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday to continue her coverage in person. 

After an eventful summer for Jones that included both the release of the much-discussed “Ghostbusters” reboot and online backlash over the film that drove the actress to temporarily abandon Twitter, things are looking up.

Jones’ coverage of the 2016 Olympics began in her living room, of her own accord, and garnered so much attention that NBC, who has faced plenty of criticism during its coverage of the Games and likely is looking for a PR win, invited her to take her show on the road and join its commentators in Rio.

After a brief period of contemplation, Jones decided to take the network up on its offer, thus continuing one of the most unexpected underdog stories of the Olympics.

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Ever the entertainer, even Jones’ travel tweets were amusing.

https://twitter.com/Lesdoggg/status/763560681870417920
https://twitter.com/Lesdoggg/status/763715592989839360
https://twitter.com/Lesdoggg/status/763783872119091200

Note that in her first two videos, Jones is using her own personal SnapChat filter, created just for her. 

How do you know you’ve made it? You have your own SnapChat filter.

Jones was soon on her way to the Games proper, starting her day with gymnastics and present for Simone Biles and Aly Raisman’s domination of the all-around. 

https://twitter.com/Lesdoggg/status/763802977920425984
https://twitter.com/Lesdoggg/status/763842562163482624
https://twitter.com/Lesdoggg/status/763843806210891776

Jones moved on to take in a historic night of swimming, witnessing Michael Phelps win gold for the 22nd time and Simone Manuel become the first African American woman to win an individual swim medal (and a gold one, to boot.) 

https://twitter.com/Lesdoggg/status/763926455319277569

Perhaps the best content Jones has provided has been her interactions with the famous faces floating around the Games, Olympians and otherwise.

Here she is kicking it with Matthew McConaughey, because why not?

https://twitter.com/Lesdoggg/status/763933749620854784

Jones also visited with legendary gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi before performing a very mediocre cartwheel for him.

https://twitter.com/Lesdoggg/status/764119835521482752

Before, that is, becoming basically best friends with swim team superstars Lilly King and Missy Franklin.

https://twitter.com/Lesdoggg/status/763978501410086913

Jones even got a chance to pose for pictures with newly minted gold and silver all-around medalists Biles and Raisman for what may be the best candid moment the comedian has captured so far. (Raisman and her apple plus Biles and her phone questions are perfect.)

https://twitter.com/Lesdoggg/status/763882715733164032
https://twitter.com/Lesdoggg/status/763966413451034625

All in all, it was a good showing for Leslie Jones, who, according to her Twitter videos, is scheduled to stay in Rio through Monday night’s events. 

Who might she run into next? Kerri Walsh Jennings? Kyrie Irving? Baby Boomer Phelps?

Only time (and Jones’ Twitter feed) will tell. 

libby.hill@latimes.com

Twitter: @midwestspitfire

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