07/04/2023

‘Saturday Night Live’ returned back to the studio for the season 46 premiere hosted by Chris Rock with musical guest Megan Thee Stallion.

Fellow Coneheads, rise! I hope everyone enjoyed their Saturday Night Live-less summer break! The conch shell at Studio 8H has been sounded, the 30 Rock bat signal’s in the sky, so you know what that means: season 46 is finally here! SNL in Review is back!
We remain in unchartered territory, as our favorite late-night sketch show returns to New York City following an unprecedented conclusion to season 45, which saw three “At Home” episodes due to the pandemic. It’s been six months, and the nation remains in upheaval: social unrest, a pending presidential election, and more deaths related to COVID-19. To be sure, there’s a lot of ground to cover.
There are few entertainers better suited to meet this moment than tonight’s host, Chris Rock. Over the course of his 35-year career, Rock has been one of comedy’s preeminent social commentators: a writer, director, talk show host, as well as a brilliant stand-up, who first gained national exposure in the cauldron of SNL. He previously hosted in season 22 and season 40, in addition to a number of cameos over the years (including last year, with his mentor Eddie Murphy.) It will be exciting to watch him rise to the occasion.
I am joined tonight by Siobhan Fallon Hogan, who was a cast member on SNL with Rock during season 17. “I love Chris. He is not only a great comic but has proven to be a great actor,” she says, referring to his new role on Fargo. “It is very brave and risky to make that crossover, or as the new phrase goes genre hop – there is a new phrase for everything.” She speaks from experience, having shifted from comedy to drama herself; right now she’s venturing on a new endeavor, as the writer/producer for a new movie, Rushed, co-starring Robert Patrick.
To the surprise of many, SNL46 not only retained all of its cast members (many of whom seemed intent on pursuing greener pastures…and perhaps still are) but added three more performers: Punkie Johnson, Andrew Dismukes, and Lauren Holt. Until this season, Fallon Hogan’s cast was among the largest in the show’s history. Her advice to Johnson, Dismukes, and Holt, as they try to establish themselves in a large pond? “New cast members have to look at the big picture and realize, ‘Wow, I am lucky to be here and part of history with Lorne Michaels at the helm, who has been running a hit show [since] before they were born. That’s a weird concept in itself.”
She adds: “The whining attitude – or ‘Poor me, I never get on’ or ‘I only had one line’ – the right attitude is the more the merrier. You are part of an extremely talented comedy ensemble … just being on the show opens so many doors; some cast members get on more than others but life is more than how much screen time you get. Look at Chris, it’s about longevity and making the most of every job. Be good to fellow ensemble members, it’s a long road. Be good to each other – you are in a club that’s hard to get into. Keep a stiff upper lip and fake it til you make it.”
“It isn’t fun to get cut from a sketch… but it’s a lot more fun than your unemployed actor friends are having who didn’t get the break you got, so enjoy it, learn and appreciate being part of SNL.” Well said!
I am also joined tonight by the legendary filmmaker, Tom Schiller, who was a writer on SNL for many years, including during Rock’s tenure. Schiller remembers that Rock “used to make fun of my enjoyment of Chris Farley’s acting and frequent use of him in my films.”
This season will have an (extremely) limited live audience, adding another layer to things. Historically, giving the show parameters and barriers to overcome has often (if not always) allowed for creative, loose comedy. One might argue that the shortcoming of recent seasons has been its (seemingly) unlimited resources, and praise, leading to insulation and overexposure. Will this be the same? Let’s find out!
Cold Open
Andddddddddd, “Tuesday feels like 100 days ago, ” the show acknowledges, but if you had the presidential debate on your bingo card for the cold open – you win! Beck Bennett comes on with a solid Chris Wallace.
I’ll be honest, tagging Trump (as Alec Baldwin does) while he is at Walter Reed verges on bad taste. The small audience may have the inadvertent issue of making the laughs seem… small? I’m not mad about it – keep things intimate! Less clapter, fine by me.
And it’s Fire Marshall Bill! I mean, Jim Carrey as Joe Biden. Not sure this sounds like Biden, but Carrey is just so likable and charismatic. But it’s Jim Carrey, not even close to Biden — at least Jason Sudeikis approached a version of the vice president. “Don’t let your inner Whitey Bulger come out,” he assures himself. “Will you just shut up man,” gets a good applause line – rally cry for the next month? Biden is at odds with himself, trying to stay calm by any means necessary. He even enlists Harry Styles, a nice cameo. (Trump’s meditation? A quick cameo from Cecily Strong, who is not in New York.)
A recalibrated and humanized Kamala Harris (Maya Rudolph) shows up to referee the shenanigans. “America needs a WAP: Woman-As-President.” “I’ll settle for HVPIC: Hot Vice President in Charge.” The sketch ends with Carrey-as-Biden literally muting Trump, putting him on pause. “Let’s bask in the Trumplessness.” Karma and science is a little incendiary, but also appealing to our better angels.
FWIW, Robert Smigel – a former SNL cast member who overlapped with Fallon Hogan and Rock — recently debuted Let’s Be Real on FOX, an election-themed political satire with puppets. It’s bipartisan in its sharp, no-holds-barred digs at the current political landscape, and lands a lot of truth-y blows about both candidates. Just saying.
One aside: it’s so exciting to be back at 8H. This is the first time the show has gone live from New York, so to speak, since the Daniel Craig episode way back on March 7. Nearly seven months ago!
Monologue
After a long opening credit sequence — in which most of the cast wear masks — Rock gets to work. He dives right into Trump with COVID-19, and the weirdness of the show right now. “I haven’t had so much things up my nose, since I shared an office with Chris Farley,” he jokes, commenting on the medical precautions at 8H. The first row of the audience tonight are first responders. He’s walking a line joking about Coachella and canceled plans, given 200,000 people are dead.
He calls on a renegotiation of our relationship with the government. “Joe Biden should be the last president ever … we need a new system.” This is a pretty effective indictment of President Trump, comparing him to a very bad cook with a four-year deal. Not sure his female boxing metaphor lands. The country does not have kings, but we have dukes and duchesses, he argues. His comments on Sean Hannity versus Anderson Cooper is pretty funny. He ends with a James Baldwin quote, which gets the biggest applause of the monologue. Well done, given everything.
Schiller says Rock has a “kind of a twinkly, boyish delivery which makes any naughty subject matter he talked about in his stand up seem innocent.”
As a cast member, Fallon Hogan adds, Rock was “more than a team player – if he likes you and thinks you’re real and not a phony – he will stick up for you and support you.” During their time together at 8H, Rock was “fun, funny, no weirdness, no arrogance, a confident and supportive, great guy.”
Also, for comparison, SNL has helpfully tweeted out Rock’s original 1996 monologue. This is a comic at the near-prime of his powers; think Eddie in the late 80s.
Related content:
The original late-night comedy sketch show from the one and only Lorne Michaels.

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