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Some surprise stars have taken a turn at hosting “Saturday Night Live,” but their gigs somehow slipped through fans' memories. From rock legends to pop icons and sitcom favorites, these celebs brought unique flair to Studio 8H with unforgettable sketches, monologues, and musical moments. Join us as we shine a light on those unexpected hosting stints that are hiding in plain sight!
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00:00It's hammer time!
00:03Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for those surprising Saturday Night Live hosting gigs that
00:10somehow slipped through the cracks of collective memory.
00:12Yeah, don't do me no favors, alright? I can introduce myself.
00:17Number 10, Dolly Parton.
00:19But I've done a lot of television in Hollywood and I've done a lot of TV in Nashville, but I
00:25have to honestly say things are a lot different here in New York, really.
00:29I mean, everything is just so artistic here.
00:32It almost feels sacrilegious to suggest that anything Dolly Parton does could ever slip through the cracks of pop culture
00:38memory.
00:39But her Saturday Night Live hosting gig is exactly that, a glittering gem tucked away in the shadow of her
00:45larger-than-life legacy.
00:47My daddy bought a pet for me, so green and full of sass too, turned out to be a gator,
00:53and it bit me in the...
00:56Back in season 14, Dolly pulled off the once-rare double act as both host and musical guest, delivering the
01:03kind of powerhouse performance you'd expect from the Queen of Country.
01:07Sure, her sketches like the cheekily tilted Planet of the Enormous Hooters aren't the first thing fans recall when they
01:13think of Dolly,
01:13especially when her resume includes everything from 9 to 5 to steal Magnolias.
01:19So, uh, so these were made up?
01:21Well, yeah, except the ones about Friday.
01:23Mama said that they were based on some kind of truth, but that they always changed the names to protect
01:28the entity.
01:30Number 9.
01:31Christina Aguilera
01:32Christina Aguilera's turn as both host and musical guest was the kind of pop culture curveball that makes dusting off
01:39SNL history so much fun.
01:41Forget the tea, let's have some hot chocolate.
01:45Ah! Mrs. Rivington Steel!
01:49That's my name, and don't you forget it.
01:52While most of us knew Xtina could belt out a ballad with the best of them, few expected her to
01:58dive headfirst into sketch comedy with such gusto.
02:01You got your ups, but can you get...
02:05down.
02:08You want to stand up?
02:10Yeah!
02:11Come on, baby, what you're taking here for?
02:15Her monologue in that infamous Sex and the City parody might feel a little dated now,
02:20but back then, she wowed audiences with her knack for impressions and a fearless approach to physical comedy.
02:27Whether she was channeling a liberated 1880s suffragette or hamming it up as a telenovela maid,
02:33Xtina proved she was game for anything.
02:35No!
02:36Si!
02:37No!
02:38Si!
02:39No!
02:41No!
02:42Si!
02:44Ha ha!
02:46Number 8. Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson
02:49Flashback to the early 2000s when reality TV royalty Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey were America's favorite newlyweds,
02:57and SNL decided to jump on the bandwagon by inviting them to co-host in season 29.
03:03It's been such a crazy year for us, wouldn't you agree, Nick?
03:06I certainly would, Jessica, to think that last year!
03:09Whoa, whoa, whoa!
03:10Jess, I think you were reading my lines there.
03:13Oh, no, I wasn't.
03:14I was reading those card thingies.
03:15Well, yeah, but my lines are also on those card thingies.
03:18I'm in the blue and you're in the black, see?
03:20Oh, gosh, this is too hard.
03:22If you don't remember the episode, you might at the very least recall the infamous technical glitch during their monologue,
03:28a moment that perfectly captured the anything-can-happen spirit of live TV.
03:33Simpson leaned hard into her dumb blonde persona, sometimes to a fault,
03:37while it often felt like Lachey played second fiddle.
03:40This chicken of the sea, is it chicken or tuna?
03:45Neither one.
03:46Both chicken and tuna are extinct.
03:48So you don't need...
03:51Yes!
03:52Chicken of the sea is people!
03:54Still, you have to give Jessica credit for stepping into the impression game alongside the SNL pros and fully committing
04:01to the bit.
04:02In three, this is boring.
04:04I want to go to a party.
04:05I know, honey, we're almost done. Just think about outfits.
04:09So, don't be scared.
04:11Number 7, Tim Curry.
04:13The Dick Ebersole era of SNL might be a blur for many fans,
04:18but Tim Curry's season 7 episode is a cult classic hiding in plain sight.
04:23The official Rocky Horror toast, only eight bucks a slice.
04:27Eight bucks!
04:28And at that price, you'll want to take home loaves and loaves!
04:31Loaves!
04:31The highlight was the Rocky Horror Show sketch, which reunited Curry with musical guest Meatloaf and gave fans a tongue
04:38-in-cheek nod to their legendary film.
04:41Curry didn't stop there.
04:43He unleashed a spot-on Mick Jagger impression, delivered a slyly provocative monologue with Eddie Murphy,
04:49and even serenaded the audience with the cheeky Zucchini song.
04:53When I think about the people who influenced me, I think of Muddy Waters, Big Bill Brunzi, and this man.
05:04What really set Curry apart was his effortless chemistry with the then-new cast and his ability to ditch the
05:11cue cards.
05:12And it's clear he's having a ball.
05:14Number 6, Colin Firth.
05:16Colin Firth's one and only SNL hosting gig in season 29 is a delightful time capsule from the mid-2000s,
05:24right as Love Actually was cementing his rom-com royalty status.
05:27My darling, you're alive!
05:29I'm here! I never thought I'd see you again! My heart is so full!
05:37Firth gamely played up his stuffy Brit persona while navigating the whirlwind energy of the Fallon Polar era,
05:43although he showed that there's more to his talent than a stiff upper lip.
05:47The episode's crown jewel is Firth donning a tracksuit and slicked-back hair to channel Pauly Walnuts in a Sopranos
05:55parody.
05:55Nah, Colin, in this one, Silvio and Ralphie tried to stop a protest at the Columbus Day parade.
06:00Oh, I remember the one with the Indians, and as I recall, that was a stinker too.
06:03Let's just skip it and watch the one where Ralphie gets it in the keyster again.
06:06He also took a swing at a southern accent and endured a monologue ambush by cast members in full period
06:12regalia,
06:13proving he could roll with the punches on live television.
06:16Colin, do your part! Your line is, um, I take thee at thy word.
06:23Call me but love and I'll be new baptized.
06:27Oh, that was good.
06:29Number 5. Ringo Starr
06:31Ringo Starr may be forever enshrined as the legendary drummer of the Beatles,
06:36but even rock royalty can have an SNL moment that slips through the cracks.
06:41He was for nine years the drummer with the Beatles,
06:43and performed with them on all their albums and tours.
06:46And as you can see, he's in very good condition.
06:49And I, for one, would like to open the bidding at $75,000.
06:52Now, do I hear 75?
06:59While Paul McCartney and George Harrison popped up as musical guests
07:02and in memorable cameos,
07:04Ringo is the only Beatle who took on the full host and sketch gauntlet back in Season 10.
07:10Sadly, his episode fell victim to the Ebersole era's tendency to fade into the background,
07:15so sketches like the Beatles auction and the Ed Grimley bit are rarely revisited.
07:32For most fans, Ringo's SNL stint is a quirky blip in a career defined by musical milestones.
07:39Come on, Mr. Richards, we're gonna run up to the east side.
07:48Talk about a surreal pairing.
07:51Johnny Cash, the original Man in Black, hosting while Elton John handled musical guest duties?
07:56This Season 7 episode is lost in the dark ages of SNL.
08:00You know, a lot of people don't know, but my real name was originally Johnny Peppermint.
08:05The first time I did a concert, this guy said,
08:08How do you want the check made out?
08:10And I said, I'll just make it out to Cash.
08:13Cash brought charisma, but comedy wasn't his comfort zone.
08:17So writers kept him in three sketches, two of which had him playing Johnny Cash.
08:22The standout moment is Last Request,
08:25where Eddie Murphy's death row inmate hilariously stalls his execution
08:29by asking Cash to sing 99,000 Bottles of Beer on the Wall.
08:347,623 Bottles of Beer on the Wall
08:37There are 77,623 Bottles of Beer on the Wall
08:42If one of those bottles should happen to fall
08:44This is gruel and unusual punishment!
08:47Take me first!
08:49It's a classic, but remembered as an Eddie Murphy showcase.
08:52Still, the fact that not more people have seen Cash and John switch outfits
08:56is an injustice we're delighted to rectify.
08:59Elton, I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of borrowing these threads.
09:05And ladies and gentlemen, once again, Elton John.
09:11Number 3, MC Hammer
09:13Back in the early 90s during SNL's 17th season,
09:18MC Hammer was at the absolute height of his too-legit-to-quit powers,
09:22and SNL handed him the keys to Studio 8-H as both host and musical guest.
09:27I was talking to Hammer before the show, and Hammer, he was saying a couple things now.
09:33He said he's never been as excited, and he had really never done live TV before.
09:40The result was a spectacle so over-the-top that the stage literally had to be expanded
09:45to fit Hammer's army of dancers.
09:47The episode delivered a dance-off monologue, with Chris Rock channeling Michael Jackson,
09:52and a bad haircut sketch that's pure early 90s cheese.
09:55This is not a bad haircut!
09:58That's a bad haircut!
09:59And that's a bad haircut!
10:01And baby, that is a bad haircut!
10:05Malcolm!
10:05While Hammer's comedic chops didn't quite match his stage presence,
10:09you can't touch this gloriously kitschy time capsule from that era of pop culture history.
10:15And can I just get your last name? I'm not sure Hammer would ring a bell.
10:19Look, it's Hammer, you know, like Madonna?
10:22Right, and she is...
10:25Your mama, never mind, forget it.
10:27Number 2, Courtney Cox
10:29While Friends was already on the air and gaining immense popularity,
10:33it was still relatively early in its run.
10:36There's something happening somewhere!
10:38There's something happening somewhere!
10:40There's something happening somewhere!
10:42You can't start a fire!
10:46Can't start a fire without a spot!
10:49Courtney Cox, beloved for her role as Monica Geller,
10:52brought her comedic timing to the live sketch format.
10:55The primary reason the episode is forgotten is that it aired during season 20,
11:00widely considered one of the show's worst seasons.
11:03Okay, that sounds good.
11:05By the way, nice facial hair.
11:07You look like Tom Selleck.
11:08Some of her episode highlights include her monologue,
11:11His Muse Friday, and the Gappertie sketch.
11:14Looking back at the experience,
11:16Cox said she was too green and not nearly confident enough for the role,
11:20though she expressed interest in taking another shot at it.
11:24Okay, a pile of hobbies, auctioneer by trade,
11:26washed up on the wildest shores of our place this weekend
11:27with an unpublished manuscript of unpublished Ezra Pound.
11:30Get out!
11:32Huh.
11:33Well, go on.
11:34Well, if you'd like to talk to the guy, you can set it up.
11:36Baby, you're the greatest.
11:37Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
11:42Katherine Oxenberg.
11:43Remember when literal royalty hosted the show?
11:46Hi, I'm Katherine Oxenberg, aristocrat.
11:48And I'm Paul Simon, aristocrat.
11:50And we're hosting Saturday Night Live.
11:52Just turn on the set, check.
11:55Michael Jordan.
11:57Often considered a slam dunk of a host.
11:59You could really make my dream come true,
12:01because it has been my lifelong dream, okay,
12:03to be a Laker girl like Paula Azul.
12:05Well, I don't play for the Lakers.
12:06I play for the Bulls.
12:08So, Lakers, Bulls, same thing, right?
12:10Well, not exactly.
12:12Johnny Knoxville.
12:13Makes us wonder what if he had taken up
12:15Lorne Michaels' offer to join the cast.
12:18This is later that same day meeting the cast.
12:28Nancy Kerrigan.
12:29We think SNL wants us to forget this one.
12:32Wasn't it great that after falling all those times,
12:35Tonya Harding finally won a gold?
12:37I think you mean Dan Jansen's gold.
12:40Yeah, Dan Jansen.
12:41Didn't I say Dan Jansen's?
12:43No, you said Tonya Harding.
12:46George Wendt and Francis Ford Coppola.
12:48Uh, easily one of the most bizarre
12:50and experimental episodes in SNL history.
12:53So when he says that, what I want you to do
12:55is that I want you to react by laughing.
12:58But if you don't feel like laughing,
13:00I want you to go back and remember something
13:02from your childhood.
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13:12Terrible Influence is a satirical board game
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13:16from the writer of the most popular girls in school
13:18and Us, WatchMojo.
13:20Boom.
13:20I can make an apology video.
13:22Oh, you so would.
13:23Click on the link in the description
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13:29Number 1.
13:31Ellen DeGeneres.
13:32Ellen DeGeneres has worn more hats
13:34than most in Hollywood.
13:36Trailblazing stand-up, sitcom star,
13:38lovable regal tang fish,
13:40and daytime talk show royalty.
13:42It's really great to be here.
13:44They've been so nice to me all week long,
13:45and, well, of course, they're nice to me.
13:47They have to be, you know.
13:48I'm the host.
13:49She's not the only talk show host
13:51to Grace Studio 8H either.
13:53And no, we don't meet
13:55Baya Rudolph's iconic parody of Oprah.
13:57Yes, the actual Oprah Winfrey
13:59hosted back in season 11.
14:01Anyway, Ellen hosted back in season 27,
14:04bringing some much-needed light and levity
14:07to a New York still under the dark cloud of 9-11.
14:10I don't have an apartment here, you know,
14:12and I very rarely come here,
14:14so I mean it.
14:14I really do love me.
14:17It's fair to say that her hosting stint
14:19is often overshadowed
14:20by the later, more dominant phases of her career,
14:23particularly her nearly two-decade run
14:26as a talk show host
14:27that reshaped her public image.
14:29Well, for the record,
14:30you had an autographed Hank Aaron,
14:32uh, home-run ball,
14:33and you had a first edition of The Bell Jar.
14:35Both very expensive, but no hard feelings.
14:37Is there anyone else we've still forgotten?
14:39Let us know in the comments.
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