The number of Chicagoans working for the NBC comedy program Saturday Night Live continues to grow.

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While NBC would not confirm the hires, the Chicago Tribune said iO Theater founder Charna Halpern reported Paul Brittain and Vanessa Bayer were joining the SNL staff.

Two other Chicagoans, Second City's Tom Flanigan, and Shelly Gossman, had previously joined the SNL writing staff, the newspaper said.

Brittain and Bayer are veterans of the Chicago improv scene. Brittain performs in the improv troupe Mike Helicopter at iO and was a member of the troupe's popular Rattlesnake High team.

Bayer is also an iO veteran; she was a member of Revolver and stars in the puppet show "Felt."

"I'm so excited. I'm so proud. It's amazing," Halpern said Friday. "It totally reinforces that Chicago is the place to be if you want to be in comedy."

SNL producer Lorne Michaels was in Chicago in August scouting for talent, and Brittain and Bayer were among four Chicago actors flown to New York for second auditions, the newspaper said.