- 6 hours ago
From Eddie Murphy's iconic comeback to Bill Hader's hilarious characters, these former cast members showed us why they were always part of the SNL magic. Watch as fan favorites like Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, and Kate McKinnon bring the laughs once again in unforgettable return hosting gigs. Relive the most entertaining moments when SNL's funniest alumni stepped back into the spotlight and reminded us why they belong on that stage.
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00:00White people pay a lot of money, and then poof, all the black people are gone.
00:04Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:06And today, we're counting down our picks for the most hilarious and memorable times
00:10that a series regular came back to host an episode of Saturday Night Live.
00:14You were all heroes in your own small way.
00:18I wish that tornado had killed you.
00:20The doctor!
00:22Number 10, Jimmy Fallon.
00:24Yo, yo, yo, come on, say, bang!
00:30Roll it up, roll it up, roll it up, and bring on down the rapping bell.
00:38His Tonight Show job can often overshadow his SNL years.
00:42Jimmy Fallon's talents were honed on the show back in the 1990s,
00:46but his occasional return made us feel like he never left.
00:49What are you two been up to for the last 14 years?
00:52Just building a paradise brick by brick.
00:54Five Beautiful Children, Weezer, Chubsy, Squeezebox, Hags.
01:00He's been working off and on at NBC for multiple decades for good reason.
01:04Fallon always seems to be having the most fun in any scene.
01:08I'm gonna sing a laugh.
01:09Oh, oh, oh, oh, party till the sun come out.
01:12Oh, oh, oh, oh, we'll stay young forever now.
01:17Oh, oh, oh, oh.
01:18When he's sharing the stage with cast members, or Justin Timberlake,
01:22he's either breaking or causing someone else to lose it.
01:25The latter musician became something of a great scene partner for many memorable episodes.
01:30Whether he's singing or wearing a crazy costume,
01:33the comedian more than earned his stripes over the last 20 years.
01:37Deck those with vials of holly.
01:40Fa-la-la, fa-la-la.
01:43Number 9.
01:44Tracy Morgan.
01:45I had a secret once.
01:47I was out in the alien in my bedroom.
01:49Pretty soon it was eating my Reese's Pieces and making long-distance phone calls.
01:54Is that what you want?
01:55Some people are funny no matter what, and one of them is Tracy Morgan.
02:00His many recurring characters made him a fan favorite on SNL,
02:03but his hosting gigs pushed him even further into comedy legend.
02:07Cows are friendly.
02:08Not that cow.
02:10I've heard enough.
02:11You need to take that big hat and go back to England.
02:16All right, fine.
02:17The 30 Rock star likely endeared himself to new generations with his work alongside Kenan Thompson in the Scared Straight
02:23sketch.
02:23Morgan's tone, voice, and delivery are endlessly entertaining.
02:28I love you, Morgan, but no man should be forced to watch his son play the clabbernet.
02:34Woo!
02:35Woman's still fresh.
02:37Bringing back some older roles, the man fit right back into the sketch show that made him famous.
02:42He's such a wild card that he can liven up the most cliched comedy premise.
02:46I guess you could say you had yourself a man-wich.
02:51Yeah!
02:53Number 8.
02:54Kristen Wiig.
02:55Now, is it okay if I used your upstairs bathroom, the one across from Russell's room?
03:02Weep, weep, weep, weep.
03:03She's among the more lively and zany performers in SNL history.
03:07Destined for greatness on the show, her breakthrough years provided some of the funniest moments of the 2000s and 2010s.
03:14I read the handbook, Tootie Road.
03:15Keep your nose clean, knock us up, and panties down.
03:18Wow.
03:19That's not in the handbook.
03:21Gals, we'd like a drink.
03:22Kristen Wiig's hosting gigs remind us of her tremendous abilities.
03:26Quick to master any kind of part, she can provide both a physical and talkative role.
03:31Oh, I'm sorry.
03:32Oh, God.
03:33I'm gonna have some of this jello mold.
03:35I need sugar.
03:36Jealous and I'm freaking gonna pass out.
03:38Oh, God.
03:39One of her more recent jobs included a huge lineup of guest stars.
03:42But Wiig still stood out despite the stiff competition.
03:45The actress also shines when she's working next to her old collaborators like Fred Armisen or Bill Hader.
03:51I don't know, Stuart.
03:52I'm not confused.
03:57Well, I can't keep this up any longer.
04:00Number 7.
04:01Adam Sandler
04:02Silly face, but still he's four.
04:05Where have I seen this before?
04:08Come on.
04:10Let's go, man.
04:11As one of the superstars from 1990s SNL, Adam Sandler left to pursue a successful film career.
04:18It took him a few decades to come back as a stellar host.
04:21If you're sad now, you might still feel sad there, okay?
04:27You understand?
04:28That makes sense?
04:29The comedian was as silly as anyone else, bringing back some of his best characters like Opera
04:34Man.
04:35He also conjured up many funny and heartwarming memories about his earlier days.
04:39Watch what you say around him, because you might end up in one of his movies.
04:44Well, I don't use you guys for material.
04:47Well, now, I don't know about that.
04:50Using his musical skills, Sandler set the scene in his enjoyable monologue before a moving
04:55tribute later in the show.
04:57The performer took time out of his episode to salute the memory of Chris Farley.
05:01Without a man being no lunch lady in lunch lady land, you know I'm thinking about, thinking
05:07about my boy Chris Farley.
05:11This multi-talented star kept viewers guessing, entertaining them with his nostalgic and hilarious
05:16work.
05:17Number 6.
05:18Martin Short
05:19I don't know, this whole Christmas thing, it's a whole to-do, you know, with the parties
05:23and the presents and the decorating.
05:25Eh, it's not for me.
05:26What do you mean Christmas is not for you?
05:28Don't tell me it's not for you.
05:29This actor was absolutely born to be in show business.
05:32Martin Short's work at SCTV came before his one-season turn on SNL.
05:37What if I freeze, freeze bad, on the simplest of famous names?
05:42The present married to Jackie Kennedy?
05:45I don't know.
05:46I have no idea, Pat.
05:48During the 1984-1985 season, he joined the show for a fantastic run alongside Billy Crystal,
05:54Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer.
05:57Short is one of the few comedic actors that didn't even need Saturday Night Live to succeed.
06:01Oh, you hit me!
06:03Stop it, you queen!
06:05Can you believe he's a top?
06:10This guy knows what I'm talking about.
06:12When he comes back to host, he always brings the upbeat energy of a man with nothing to lose.
06:18His pairings with Steve Martin are even more exceptional considering their iconic chemistry.
06:23There are so many great things that I could say about Steve Martin,
06:29but this hardly seems the time nor the place.
06:32Whether he's co-hosting or going solo, this performer should be a regular every season.
06:38Number 5.
06:39Maya Rudolph
06:40Each chicken looks as good as this one.
06:43That's a chicken man guarantee.
06:46If your man likes chicken, you might like chicken!
06:49Considering her relatively brief run as a cast member,
06:52Maya Rudolph achieved so much in her years on SNL.
06:55Her hosting duties have added to her esteemed pedigree as a performer.
06:59Oh, Lord, why is it worse?
07:04I got my ass drinking milk now!
07:06In sketches like Super Showcase Spokesmodels, Rudolph teams up with Kristen Wiig for one of the funniest scenes you'll ever
07:13watch.
07:13The performer's singing skills also come in handy for a number of segments.
07:17Oops, I made you dance.
07:19Remember in that movie when I pooped my pants?
07:21When you were a baby, you pooped your pants and I changed your diaper.
07:24I'm your mother.
07:25Who coined sweater weather?
07:26Easily folding into any ensemble, she can use a wacky character, funny voice, or an accurate impression to lend a
07:34hand.
07:34Her recurring role as Beyoncé also bridges the gap between her past work and her more recent hosting stints.
07:40Sean Evans, it's not working!
07:44Why can't I slay this?
07:47Why is this janky hot-wing show the one thing Beyoncé cannot do?
07:51Number 4. Bill Hader
07:53Hollywood legend Al Pacino.
07:55Is it too early to ask to go to the bathroom?
07:59I took a gold slager and a milk on the way over here.
08:02It's for my bone!
08:03If you ask some people, they'll tell you that Bill Hader is among the internet's favorite SNL cast members.
08:09His knack for impressions helped him stand out during his incredible tenure on the show.
08:14That dinosaur comes out and attacks me?
08:16Oh, God, you guys, that is great.
08:18That is just terrific.
08:19And how are you guys going to shoot the dinosaurs?
08:21Is it going to be forced perspective?
08:22Returning as a host several times, Hader elevated his status as a Saturday Night Live great.
08:28His original characters as a host included the gossipy coal miner and an excitable old man in a wheelchair.
08:34We have to!
08:35You guys know how bad I want a baby!
08:37Oh, my God, you can't do that old man here.
08:41Oh, yeah, look out!
08:43In every single case, he turned each scene into a comedic diamond.
08:48Bringing back classics like Stefan, he also performed material that made him such a beloved part of the program's recent
08:54history.
08:55Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
08:57Moonlight, La La Land.
09:00You're both perfect.
09:00Number 3. Will Ferrell
09:02I'm not pretty sure that that would not turn out well.
09:05I turned out your mother last night.
09:09I'm ignoring you.
09:11You could argue that he's the most consistent and talented performer in SNL history.
09:15Will Ferrell never disappoints, knowing how to juice up any episode when he returns.
09:20What were we wearing?
09:23What?
09:24What were we wearing?
09:27Uh, whoa.
09:30He can step back into the shoes of Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek or create hilarious roles like the high school
09:36casting director.
09:37Not just resting on his laurels, Ferrell seems eager to try out some bizarre premises.
09:42This show needs to be a hit after the fall musical flopped, but I still contend that doing the color
09:48purple with an all-white cast was brave.
09:51Unafraid to break with convention, the comedian has the comedic rhythms and confidence of few other Saturday Night Live veterans.
09:58Even when he breaks, he only makes us want to laugh more.
10:02And I can assure you, I am on the spectrum as well.
10:06Number 2. Kate McKinnon
10:08We call this cat Oppenheimer, because when he runs away from his litter box, you know he dropped the biggest
10:15bomb of all time.
10:17You can't argue with Kate McKinnon's success on SNL.
10:20From Hillary Clinton to her close encounter character, she frequently won the MVP during the 2010s.
10:25Alright, well now this missed me a little bit.
10:29Because my grand exit was out of what was basically like a big airplane toilet.
10:34Her time as a host gave her yet another opportunity to disappear into some eccentric parts.
10:40With so many guests joining her, she could also have fun on stage.
10:44They're pieces of trash from the dumbest woman alive.
10:46Mom, stop!
10:47I crapped it in a toilet and I wrapped it in a bag.
10:49I'm sorry I'm your mother, I'll send God a letter, tell him to take me early.
10:53The ABBA Christmas segment gives McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, and Maya Rudolph another reason to love being a return performer.
10:59She has the unique ability to be both chaotic and harness that vibe without derailing a scene.
11:15We honestly wouldn't mind her coming back as a cast member for a few more years.
11:46Number 1. Eddie Murphy.
11:49Hi boys and girls, it's your old pal Mr. Robinson.
11:54So much has changed since we last spent some time together.
11:57My neighbor has gone through so much.
11:59In the early 1980s, Eddie Murphy likely prevented the collapse of SNL altogether.
12:04His legendary time on the show came before his successful run as a movie actor.
12:09It's about time I thought you guys forgot I was done, I was getting hungry.
12:12I've never been to no cell that had a phone in it.
12:14Can I stay for a while because I ordered some pizza?
12:16While his relationship with the show got complicated, he finally returned in 2019 after not doing so since 1984.
12:24He treated viewers to a greatest hits showcase of his finest roles.
12:28Hey, don't tell me not to smoke headshot.
12:30I do what I want to do.
12:32I am Gumby, dammit.
12:34I am Gumby.
12:35And I want to smoke a cigar?
12:36I smoke a cigar.
12:37From Velvet Jones to Buckwheat, Murphy found ways to revive his older characters with a modern twist.
12:43He also joined the Weekend Update desk as Gumby and rebooted Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood.
12:48Don't worry boys and girls, Mr. Robinson knows just what to say in situations like this.
12:53Oh, you think I stole your TV because I'm black?
12:56No.
12:56The guest star seemed at home here, showing that he hadn't lost a step as a sketch player.
13:01Did we forget another notable return from a Saturday Night Live comedian?
13:05Let us know in the comments below.