'Live from Zoom!' Tom Hanks hosts first SNL at Home, as cast films sketches from quarantine, including Pete Davidson rapping in his basement, Kate McKinnon as RBG in a home workout video and Masterclass parody featuring Tiger King's Carole Baskin
- Actor Tom Hanks hosted the very first SNL at Home with the rest of the cast also filming sketches from their homes
- In his opening, Hanks joked about how this was his first time out of sweatpants since his coronavirus diagnosis on March 11
- The SNL cast prepped for the week's episode on Zoom, with McKinnon declaring: 'Live from Zoom, it's sometime between March and August!'
- Pete Davidson made a Drake music video that was filmed by his mother
- Kate McKinnon played Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg showing off her home workout routine
- Chloe Fineman was an array of celebrities, including Tiger King's Carole Baskin, in a parody of Masterclass advertisements
- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
Tom Hanks joked about forgetting how to do up buttons, not knowing what day of the week it is and how his coronavirus diagnosis made people feel 'uncomfortable' around him as he hosted the first ever virtual, stay-at-home episode of Saturday Night Live.
This was the first episode of SNL to air in five weeks after an episode scheduled for March 28, featuring first-time host John Krasinski and musical guest Dua Lipa, was scrapped due to the coronavirus lockdown in New York City.
Hanks, 63, kicked off the landmark episode and used his SNL opening dialogue to joke about how his battle with coronavirus made him feel more like 'America's Dad' than ever, mainly because nobody wanted to be around him.
The rest of the cast filmed sketches from their homes, including Pete Davidson making a Drake-inspired music video from his basement, Kate McKinnon as Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a home workout routine, and Chloe Fineman as an array of celebrities, including Tiger King's Carole Baskin, in a parody of Masterclass advertisements.
And like most Americans working from home, the SNL cast were seen preparing for the week's episode on a Zoom call, with McKinnon declaring: 'Live from Zoom, it's sometime between March and August!'
Tom Hanks hosted the very first SNL from Home after the show had a five week break
And like most Americans working from home, the SNL cast were all seen preparing for the week's episode on a Zoom call, with McKinnon declaring: 'Live from Zoom, it's sometime between March and August!'
The show wanted the night to feel like a regular episode, keeping with its tradition of having a celebrity host and its musical guest, which was Coldplay's Chris Martin.
In his opening, Hanks said: 'This Saturday Night Live is going to be a little different, for one thing it's been filmed entirely by the SNL cast who are currently quarantined in their homes.
'Also, there's no such thing as Saturdays anymore. And we're not really live, but we're doing everything we can to make this feel like the SNL you know and love.'
'It is a strange time to try and be funny, but trying to be funny is SNL's whole thing, so we thought, 'What the heck? Let's give it a shot!' Hanks said.
Hanks also added a more solemn note at the end of his appearance, thanking the people who are unable to stay at home and are continuing to go to work amid the pandemic.
'Stay safe,' he said. 'We are in this for the duration, and we will get through this together. We are going to thank our hospital workers, the first responders and all the helpers.
'The supermarket stockers, the people who are making takeout for us, the men and women who are keeping this country going at a time when we need them more than ever before.
'We are going to take care of them, and take care of each other.'
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During his monologue, the actor joked that he had forgotten how to do up a button
Hanks also attempted a question and answers segmented by dressing up in different characters including this Australian cowboy who asked about Vegemite
Pete Davidson, 26, led the first sketch on the at-home edition of SNL with a Drake parody directed by his mother Amy Davidson
Davidson's music video was filmed from a tricked-out basement at his mother's home, which was swathed in swirling purple light vaguely reminiscent of Drake's Hotline Bling video
Next up was Pete Davidson, who did his best approximation of a Drake song, appropriately titled This Is A Drake Song.
The emotional slow jam had lines such as, 'This is a Drake song,' 'I miss my ex,' and 'Number one on the billboard.'
Davidson's music video was filmed from a tricked-out basement at his mother's home, which was swathed in swirling purple light vaguely reminiscent of Drake's Hotline Bling video.
He ended the segment with a card crediting 'Pete's Mom.'
Poking fun at Zoom, which most Americans working from home have utilized since the pandemic, Mikey Day led a Zoom conference call with a group of office co-workers.
Everyone seemed to grasp the concept except for Aidy Bryant and Kate McKinnon, who played the office's secretaries.
'I got an email just for this,' Kate said.
Later, Aidy accidentally aimed her webcam at her crotch, before taking her laptop into the bathroom with her, adding: 'I thought this computer only did Solitaire.'
Real life: Following Pete's musical sketch, Mikey Day led a zoom conference call with a group of office co-workers
Everyone seemed to grasp the concept except for Aidy Bryant and Kate McKinnon, who played the office's secretaries. 'I got an email just for this,' Kate said. Later, Aidy accidentally aimed her webcam at her crotch, before taking her laptop into the bathroom with her
McKinnon portrayed Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg doing a workout routine from home, complete with a Super Diva sweater
McKinnon portrayed Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg doing a workout routine from home, complete with a Super Diva sweater.
Using Q-tips as weights, McKinnon describes how she keeps her 87-year-old self in peak mental and physical shape, saying: 'Every day I eat half a chicken. Sorry, chickpea.'
Next up was a parody of the Masterclass advertisements with Masterclass: Quarantine Edition.
Chloe Fineman showed off her impression skills, first as Timothée Chalamet, whose fashion tutorial was just about putting on navy blue hoodies.
Then she appeared as a hyperactive JoJo Siwa, who had 'a voice like a wooden roller-coaster track,' according to one of the on-screen plugs.
She ended with a segment as Carole Baskin of Tiger King fame. The animal rights activist performed a song while inserting the phrase, 'I didn't kill my husband.'
Topical: She ended with a segment as Carole Baskin of Tiger King fame. The animal rights activist performed a song while inserting the phrase, 'I didn't kill my husband'
Spot on: She also appeared as a hyperactive JoJo Siwa, who had 'a voice like a wooden roller-coaster track,' according to one of the on-screen plugs
Masterpiece: Afterward, Tom Hanks introduced Chris Martin, who skipped his own music in favor of a fitting classic: Bob Dylan's Shelter From The Storm, from 1975's Blood On The Tracks
The show kept to its traditional structure with a musical guest and 'Weekend Update.'
Martin, on acoustic guitar, played a version of Bob Dylan's Shelter From the Storm.
Signs on the wall behind him said 'Entrance to Trains,' a nod to the Grand Central Terminal-themed SNL set.
Colin Jost and Michael Che imported an electronic audience for laughs during Weekend Update, since Che said telling jokes with no reaction reminded him of a hostage video.
'Tuesday was National Beer Day,' Jost said. 'Which is the first time alcohol had helped me remember what day it is.'
Che took note that minorities were suffering disproportionately in the pandemic.
'Once Trump starts calling this the Harlem Flu, we ain't never going to get a cure,' he said.
The show ended on a bittersweet note, as the whole cast filmed a segment in tribute to their colleague Hal Willner, (right) who died from Covid-19. 'I'm glad I spent it with you': The segment was soundtracked to the late Lou Reed's (left) Perfect Day, a fitting tribute, as both men worked together and were friends
Pete's voice quivered with emotion as he remembered Willner, who selected the music to be used in the sketches
Alec Baldwin, portraying Trump, called in to the 'Weekend Update' segment, although without video since Baldwin didn't have access to makeup.
The faux president noted that 'every night at 7pm all of New York claps and cheers for the great job I'm doing,' a reference to the nightly tribute to medical workers.
The show ended on a bittersweet note, as the whole cast filmed a segment in tribute to their colleague Hal Willner, who died from Covid-19.
Pete's voice quivered with emotion as he remembered Willner, who selected the music to be used in the sketches.
The segment was sound tracked to the late Lou Reed's Perfect Day, a fitting tribute, as both men worked together and were friends.
Former SNL stars joined in to sing along, including Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Molly Shannon, Fred Armisen, John Mulaney, Adam Sandler Rachel Dratch and Ana Gasteyer, among others.
