Hosting Saturday Night Live (SNL) is a big challenge. This sketch comedy show has been on the air for a long time and has faced a lot of criticism. Many viewers say it is not funny and predict that it will end every year. Despite this, many actors, musicians, athletes, and other celebrities still want to host the show.
They see hosting as a badge of honor. There is even a special Five-Timer’s Club for stars who have hosted the show five times or more. These celebrities are welcomed in a funny way during their induction.
Over the past 50 years, SNL has had many great hosts and some not-so-great ones. In the last five years, there have been several strong hosts with memorable sketches, such as Michael B. Jordan, Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish, and Adam Driver.
The best hosts since 2019 have delivered amazing sketches, funny opening speeches, and solid performances. For some of them, it was their first time hosting the show.
10. Emma Stone Season 49
Emma Stone is a proud member of the Five-Timer’s Club. She hosted the show for the fifth time in season 49. To start the show, she gave a funny monologue about being in the Five-Timer’s Club. Throughout the episode, she played every character perfectly. Stone is a pro at this.
She looks at her lines, but viewers rarely feel like she is reading from a card. She becomes the character so deeply that it feels like watching a short film.
Stone is known for many dramatic movie roles, but she has also starred in some funny films. She has strong comedy skills. Some of her best sketches during this episode included:
In this sketch, Stone plays a contestant on a game show. She wins a turtle and becomes very worried when she learns that turtles can live for over a hundred years. Her worries grow funnier as the game goes on.
Stone portrays a “hot girl” Instagram model poster that comes to life in a teenage boy’s room. This sketch shows her comedic talent and ability to play with the absurdity of the situation.
In a musical short with Bowen Yang, Stone plays a character who goes naked in New York. The humor comes from the unexpected situations and catchy tunes.
Emma Stone showed that she is one of the best SNL hosts. Her ability to balance comedy and character depth makes her a fan favorite.
9. Jenna Ortega Season 48
Jenna Ortega made her SNL debut in season 48, and she did an amazing job. She impressed everyone with her funny sketches. One of the best sketches was called Waffle House. In this sketch, Jenna plays a teenager who is breaking up with her jock boyfriend outside a Waffle House restaurant.
She gives an emotional speech that feels like it is from a coming-of-age movie. Meanwhile, a huge fight breaks out in the restaurant behind them. It is funny to see how serious they are while chaos happens just behind them. The fact that neither Ortega nor her co-star Marcello Hernandez broke character shows how professional they both are.
Other sketches featuring Jenna Ortega included her playing a patient during an exorcism. This sketch showed her range as an actress, and it was very funny. She also starred in a comedic version of The Parent Trap with guest star Fred Armisen. This was a fun contrast to the darker roles she usually plays in movies and television.
Jenna Ortega’s hosting debut was a hit, and she showcased her talent for comedy and acting.
8. Molly Shannon Season 48
Molly Shannon was an amazing host during season 48. It was no surprise because she had been a cast member from 1995 to 2001. She is one of SNL’s best comedies. Shannon first hosted the show in 2007, but she returned in 2023 for the first time in many years, beyond a few cameo appearances. She performed as if she had never left.
One of her memorable sketches was called Valets. In this sketch, she plays an awkward valet who makes customers uncomfortable as they try to leave their cars with her. She is overly excited and talks too much, saying inappropriate things. The other cast members join in and match her energy, which makes the scene even funnier.
Shannon also brought back some popular characters from her time on the show. One of her classic characters is Jeannie Darcy, an uninspired comedian. She also reprised her character Sally O’Malley in a perfect sketch involving the episode’s musical guest, The Jonas Brothers. Her return to SNL reminded everyone of why she is so loved in the comedy world.
7. Shane Gillis Season 49
Shane Gillis was a controversial figure when he hosted SNL. He was fired from the show before he could appear due to some questionable language used in a podcast. However, years later, he was welcomed back to host and used the controversy to his advantage in his opening monologue. He started by saying, “If you don’t know who I am, please don’t Google that.”
During the episode, Gillis proved that he could have been a great addition to the cast. He made light of his past mistakes in a few sketches.
One sketch features him as a father of a white family enjoying a predominantly Black church in Jamaica. Another sketch shows him as a game show contestant who is afraid to name famous Black figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Oprah, worrying he might get it wrong.
Gillis’s choice to host was one of the more rebellious decisions SNL has made. There were some cringe-worthy moments and some backlash. But despite pushing the limits, Gillis felt natural on stage, and he connected well with the audience.
6. Aubrey Plaza Season 48
It is hard to believe that Aubrey Plaza hosted SNL for the first time in early 2023. It was a big deal for her because she used to work as a page for NBC before becoming a successful actor. She even auditioned for SNL years before but did not get the job, which she openly admitted during her monologue.
During her opening, Plaza talked about her past and took viewers on a little journey backstage, sharing how far she has come since her early days. It was a heartwarming moment.
The sketches she performed in were some of the funniest of the night. One standout moment was her performance in the Miss Universe Pageant sketch.
Her character was beautifully dressed and made up, and she just kept screaming “France!” for every answer. This was a fitting level of strange for Plaza, who is known for her unique sense of humor.
Another great sketch was her spoof of The Black Lotus, a play on her hit show The White Lotus. In this sketch, she plays a funny Puerto Rican trophy wife. Plaza embraced her perceived weirdness with a sketch called Taboo. In this sketch, her boyfriend, played by Mikey Day, becomes increasingly disturbed by her sociopathic answers. This episode was special because almost every single sketch was hilarious.
5. Pedro Pascal Season 48
Another first-time host, Pedro Pascal, took the stage in early 2023. His career was skyrocketing thanks to hit roles in shows like The Mandalorian and The Last of Us.
Pascal’s charming and likable personality was clear from the very start of the show. In his opening monologue, he discussed his newfound fame and shared funny stories about all the questions he gets about Baby Yoda.
One of the most talked-about moments from his episode was a dark spoof trailer for a Mario Kart action movie. In this sketch, he plays a mustached Mario in a funny take on video games becoming movies. He delivered the famous line, “It’s-a-me, Mario,” in a gruff tone that sounded like his character Joel from The Last of Us.
Pascal also had a cameo from his real-life best friend Sarah Paulson. Additionally, he played a Maude-like drag character in a sketch called Protective Mom. One of the best moments was in a sketch called Lisa from Temecula, where he broke character, which delighted fans. His performance was full of charm and energy, making him a memorable host.
4. Dave Chappelle Season 48
Dave Chappelle has hosted SNL multiple times, with his first time being in 2016, which won him his first Emmy Award. He hosted again in November 2020, just after the U.S. Presidential Election, and returned in November 2022 for his third time, also following an election.
Although he faced controversies surrounding his Netflix special, fans welcomed him back because they appreciate his bold comedic style.
Chappelle’s opening monologue felt longer than usual and resembled a stand-up comedy act, which was great because it was both funny and edgy. His background in sketch comedy from his show, Chappelle’s Show, helped him shine in every skit he performed.
He participated in various sketches, including a take on House of the Dragon and a skit called Barber Shop Talk. In this sketch, he offered humorous commentary on race, politics, vaccines, and even Kanye West. The character Michael Longfellow played a white barber who unintentionally states offensive opinions, adding to the comedic effect.
Chappelle’s natural talent and fearless humor made him a standout host on the show, and fans loved every minute of it.
3. Timothée Chalamet Season 48
Timothée Chalamet made his SNL debut in December 2022, and it was a big moment for him. He is known for his serious roles in films but showcased a funny side in his opening monologue. He talked about how nervous he was to host and mentioned that he used to watch the show as a kid.
One of the best sketches from his episode was a spoof on a Harry Styles music video, which was a hilarious take on celebrity culture. Chalamet also starred in a sketch about a Christmas gathering where everyone is dressed as animals.
The sketch that stole the show was called Santa’s Workshop. In this sketch, Chalamet played a character named Tinsel who wanted to be an elf but had to prove himself to Santa. This sketch highlighted Chalamet’s charm and comedic timing, showing that he could successfully branch out from serious roles to comedy.
2. Adam Driver Season 49
Adam Driver has hosted SNL five times, becoming a member of the prestigious Five-Timer’s Club. His most recent hosting was in 2023, and he showed why he is a fan favorite. Driver is known for his serious roles in films, but he has always embraced the silliness of SNL.
In his monologue, he discussed how excited he was to join the Five-Timer’s Club and shared funny stories about previous times he hosted. He also used his famous Kylo Ren character from Star Wars in a hilarious sketch called Undercover Boss, where he plays a dark overlord who wants to blend in as a regular employee at a Jedi training academy.
Driver’s ability to switch between drama and comedy impressed fans. His physical comedy and timing shone through in various sketches, reminding everyone why he is such a beloved actor.
1. Eddie Murphy Season 48
Eddie Murphy is a comedy legend and is known for his iconic characters and sketches from the early years of SNL. After decades away from the show, he returned to host in December 2019. His episode was highly anticipated, and he did not disappoint.
Murphy’s opening monologue was filled with laughter as he shared stories about his time on the show, including some of his famous characters. He even brought back his iconic character Buckwheat for a quick cameo. One of the best sketches was a parody of The Lion King that brought back his classic character Gumby.
Murphy also showcased new characters, such as a father trying to teach his son how to dance, which resulted in hilarious moments. His charm and stage presence reminded fans of why he is one of the best comedians in the world.
Conclusion
Over the years, many amazing hosts have graced the stage of SNL. Some have been welcomed as first-time hosts, while others are legends making their return. From Emma Stone to Eddie Murphy, each host brought something special to the show, creating unforgettable moments that made us laugh.
Hosting SNL is no easy task, but these hosts have shown that they can handle the pressure and deliver memorable performances. Their comedic talents and ability to connect with the audience are what make SNL a beloved show.
As the show continues, we look forward to more hosts bringing laughter and creativity to the stage. Each episode offers a new opportunity for comedy, and we can’t wait to see who will make us laugh next.
