For Coneheads out there who enjoySaturday Night Livehistory, tonight is a cool combination of host and musical guests.
He was one of the biggest comic forces in Hollywood, period.
(Personally, I was always struck by his stellar one-offcharacter roles in the ’90s.)
Jack Black on ‘SNL’.Credit:NBC
Today, he returns as the star of theMinecraftmovie and the newAnacondareboot.
Still cool, but ya know.
Now, Black returns for a fourth hosting stint, his first time back in nearly two decades.
(Notably, his second time as host in 2003 was alsoKenan Thompson’s first episode on theSNLcast.)
Just wait, the musical guests are equally fascinating!
Rocketman himself, SirElton John,is back at Studio 8H.
He previously diddouble duty as host and musical guestback in 2011.
He shares: Jack Black had to grow on me, but grow on me he did.
Early in his career I think I resisted his over-the-top intensity as a comedian - and musician.
It just wasn’t where I looked for grounded comedy.
But, my sonslovedhim and I kept seeing him in movies.
By the time he did theJumanjifilms, I was on board.
Sort of before that withTropic Thunder.
Oops, it is actually the Cheesecake Factory menu.
He also riffs on their so-called formula determining the tariffs.
Fun attitude there from JAJ, love the show demonstrating some meta swagger.
Next up: oh boy,Mike Myersreturns as a cheese hat-wearing Elon Musk.
Hes really smart, but says this tariff plan is really dumb.
Trump swiftly says it is time for him to leave, and return to helping Tesla.
Is that a sign we wont see Myers doing this again?
Monologue
Black is back!
And with that, he quits.
I cant do it, its too stressful.
A riff begins to give him the power to host again.
He also shouts out thatKenan Thompsonis still in the cast.
The audience is animated, they are clapping, the energy is great.
I might be wrong, but I think Black sings in every one of his monologues.
At 55, his voice sounds great.
He is dressed like Indiana Jones, which Todd points out.
Jamie cant see the contestants, so he is giving her a heads up!
Gene protests as he does not know what that is.
Jamie asks his biggest fear: snakes!
Todd is angry, so Dismukes gets to be disgruntled which is always a fun mode.
“Flamin' Hot commercial”
This in-your-face Cheetos flavor can create bathroom issues.
That is why the iconic mascot, Chester Cheetah, is pimping Preparation H products now.
He is joined by Jack Black, who wants that cream also in extreme flavors.
(Shout out the oldPhil Hartman commercials.
The attendees worry that the stranglers will just one-up each other.
He is off grid now, having quit social media.
An eagle pronounces his humblebrag accomplishment.
He only reads books now - another eagle sound cue.
Even the waitress (Heidi Gardner) gets a sound after announcing she adopted her son from China.
Amazing stuff, fun camera angles too.
It dies on the vine.
A true sketch needs that third act, or payoff.
Too bad, but I recommend this.
“The First Play”
This is silly.
The concept of acting out a story is difficult.
Yangs character is pretend stabbed and they overreact.
Black plays an approximation of Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance, which is cute.
Elton John and Brandi Carlile first performance “Little Richard’s Bible”
This is great .
Elton John is still rocking at the piano.
Total ’50s throwback jam.
Fun, you could see Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, who worked on this.
And I need BlacksSNL50jacket.
John first appeared onSNLway back in 1982.
I was a producer on theGeorge & Alana Showin the mid-90s and Elton was a guest.
He was so approachable and incredibly funny and that made a lasting impression on me.
“Weekend Update”
A secondMorgan Wallenreference of the night!
Jost also reminds us when Russell Brand hostedSNL, his musical guest was Chris Brown.
Hernandez and Wickline previously appeared onWeekend Updateasthese charactersback in November.
Talking boundaries, Wickline is quiet, deadpan, while Hernandez is animated, loud.
So, perfect for their comic energies.
Nwodim says her stance would be avoiding political jokes, go after the dinner itself.
Her Miss Eggy stand-up performance voice here is hilarious.
They agree to take it to the next level, and they begin flying, singing about makin lurve.
Yang joins, which I do not think was necessary.
A few bass players enter to play some ’90s Tom Petty.
Then Gardner wants to slap some bass too.
We are good on bass!
The bass players get out of control, even the hound dog joins in.
Elton John and Brandi Carlile second performance “Who Believes in Angels?”
Is this a rhetorical question?
This is the title track from their album.
Carlile really soars here, embodying Johns style so well.
Gary Kroeger attended theSNL50anniversary concertand noted Carlile as a highlight that night:IloveBrandi Carlile!
HerSNL50th performance was sublime, as was everyone that night.
I didn’t get a chance to meet her at the after party, but Ididlook for her!
We join the action afterwards.
Gardner plays the nurse, Black is her beau.
He is upset, but also very into buying hot dogs.
He also served his country, he was an illustrator who drew racist propaganda to encourage enlistment.
