The Most Memorable ‘SNL’ Skits by Celebrity Hosts

From Drake's “Slumber Party” skit to Natalie Portman’s “Natalie’s Rap” short, here are the celebrities who killed it on SNL.

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SNL

In its 44 seasons on air, Saturday Night Live has seen a fair amount of incredible celebrity hosts absolutely body live television, as stars tend to bring out the big guns when they land the gig at Studio 8H in New York. Though we may be forced to sit and squirm through the occasional dud, SNL is almost always on top of its game when it comes to booking hotshots to host the show.

Last year alone we saw the return of longtime players Tina Fey, Bill Hader, and Will Ferrell; even John Mulaney, who was behind the scenes as an SNL writer for many years, hosted the show for the first time. Though it’s bittersweet seeing them move on to bigger and better things (we’re watching you, Bill Hader), a timely return to the spotlight where it all started is always a treat for fans.

Actors, musicians, and even prominent public figures have stood center stage at SNL and absolutely nailed it. We’ve seen celebrity hosts hold their own against some of the funniest people working in the industry today. Hundreds have entered the Saturday Night Live ring, but these hosts brought the heat during their late-night antics and showed everyone what’s what when it comes to getting the job done. Here are the most memorable SNL skits by celebrity hosts.

“Slumber Party”

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Host: Drake

It’s not very often that a first-timer pulling double duty as host and musical guest absolutely owns their episode of SNL, but Drake is no ordinary performer. His role in the “Slumber Party” skit saw him as a corny dad interrupting his daughter’s sleepover opposite Aidy Bryant, a pre-teen who has the hots for him. The fact that Drake not only managed to perfectly hold it together where Ryan Gosling couldn’t is beyond us, but his mustache and dance moves were equally unforgettable.

“Omeletteville”

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Host: Justin Timberlake

Amongst the many fan favorite hosts who never disappoint is triple threat Justin Timberlake. Though he’s probably most well-known for his work in digital shorts, his series of skits as an overzealous street pitchman who’s constantly outdoing his competitors with altered pop songs is one of his best shticks. It’s almost irritating seeing JT be funny and talented at the same time, but seeing him dressed as a cheese omelette kind of helps.

“Adam Grossman: Dinner at Benihana”

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Host: Jonah Hill

Nobody plays a precocious Jewish boy quite like Jonah Hill in his perfectly cast Adam Grossman skits. Packed with inappropriate over-sharing and dad jokes, Hill as Adam Grossman always delivers the exuberant child vibes, constantly reminding us that he’s only six-years-old. It gets us every time.

“Haunted Elevator (ft. David S. Pumpkins)”

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Host: Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks is the poster boy for giving it all you’ve got on Saturday Night Live; he never seems to be afraid of getting as goofy as he possibly can (see: him playing himself on Celebrity Jeopardy, but if he was extremely stupid). His role as the not-so-spooky entertainer on a haunted elevator ride is not only ridiculously silly, it’s also creatively meta and by far some of the best work SNL has produced in recent years. Any questions?

“Behind the Music: Blue Oyster Cult”

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Host: Christopher Walken

The “Behind the Music: Blue Oyster Cult” skit from 2000 is by far one of the most memorable and well-known moments from Saturday Night Live. It may have been Will Ferrell’s over-the-top musicality and extra-small shirt that brought the house down, but don’t get it twisted—it was host Christopher Walken who delivered the “more cowbell” iterations that you still quote today every time you hear “Don’t Fear the Reaper.”

“Natalie’s Rap”

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Host: Natalie Portman

“Natalie’s Rap” is technically classified as an official SNL Digital Short, but damn if Natalie Portman didn’t make some points as the hardass version of herself! This sketch is the perfect combination of Portman’s killer acting, hyperbolic comedy, and the ridiculous talent of the boy from The Lonely Island. In the golden noughties era of SNL, “Natalie’s Rap” was—and still remains—a standout piece from the show. Also, the rap itself goes dumb hard.

“Papyrus”

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Host: Ryan Gosling

If there’s one thing you have to give Lorne Michaels credit for, it’s his willingness to seriously try anything on Saturday Night Live. “Papyrus” is one of a handful of skits from the past few years that are just niche enough to catch the attention of everyone who loves hyper-specific comedy; lucky for Gosling (who tends to have a hard time keeping it together on the show) it was pre-recorded, and his outrage over the highest-grossing movie of all time using a basic Microsoft Word font as its graphic choice being conveyed as a serious drama made it that much funnier.

“The Festrunk Brothers”

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Host: Steve Martin

Steve Martin is no stranger to Saturday Night Live—at 15n appearances, he once held the record for hosting the most shows (he was surpassed by Alec Baldwin a few years back). Through all of his gigs dating back to 1976, Martin’s most memorable skit has been and always will be the Festrunk Brothers, or as you may know them, two wild and crazy guys. Martin and Dan Aykroyd, donning their silly outfits and incoherent ramblings, have made quite a pair as two obnoxious Europeans trying to pick up a couple of “foxes” at any chance possible.

“Consumer Probe: Irwin Mainway”

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Host: Candice Bergen

Sharing the screen with a cast member as strong as Dan Aykroyd during the golden age of Saturday Night Live was a cakewalk for Candice Bergen. As an audience favorite early on, Bergen was the first woman to host the show and the first host to return for a second gig. Watching her tolerate Aykroyd’s character of a toy company CEO pushing a bag of broken glass as a children’s item is almost like watching Seth Meyers put up with club kid Stefon and his obscene tourism suggestions—if Meyers had great hair and could keep his composure as well as Bergen did.

“Word Association”

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Host: Richard Pryor

Richard Pryor was Saturday Night Live’s first black host, and from his historical feat came one of the best-played skits in the show’s history. With a brief run time of just over two minutes, “Word Association” shows Pryor playing a word association game in a job interview that gets increasingly tense as he and Chevy Chase spit slurs back and forth before Pryor puts an end to it. There’s no way in hell this skit would even make it past a table read in Studio 8H today, but the show’s come a long way since 1975, and Pryor’s legacy as a comedy heavyweight champ makes him deserved of a spot on this list.

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