Jean Smart made a remarkable debut as host of Saturday Night Live, delivering a night full of laughs, including a musical tribute to New York City during her opening monologue. The acclaimed star of Hacks captured audiences with her performance as both a comedic “chimp lady” and a savvy Real Housewife trying to evade sizzling fajitas.
Smart’s episode was notable not just for her strong performances but also for being jam-packed with sketches, leading to two cut-for-time segments. In her monologue, she humorously reminisced about her long-time dream of hosting the show, finally coming to fruition after all these years. “I remember watching the very first episode of SNL and thinking, ‘Someday I’m going to host that show,’” she quipped.
During her monologue, Smart sang a clever reworked version of Cole Porter’s classic “I Happen to Like New York,” reflecting on her early career and the legendary show. With a nod to her character Deborah Vance from Hacks, she remarked, “Seriously? I thought SNL stood for Saturday Night Laughs.”
The episode featured Smart in multiple roles, including a romance novelist turned textbook author and a dramatic classic actress. Her versatility was highlighted throughout the sketches, which included a hilarious game show parody titled “$100,000 Pyramid,” where Smart played a disgraced chimp owner.
Other sketches included a take on “Spirit Halloween,” where the absence of an SNL ad for the holiday brand was humorously highlighted. Another sketch titled “Textbook Writer” portrayed the humorous transition of a romance author into writing math textbooks with unexpected outcomes.
Additionally, Smart made her mark in “Real Housewives of Santa Fe Dinner,” featuring her signature comedic style and plenty of sizzling fajita action. The episode was so densely packed with material that two sketches, “Blonde Dragon People” and “A Father’s Promise,” were cut for time.
Overall, Jean Smart’s debut on SNL was a resounding success, showcasing her humor and talent, while setting a high bar for the rest of the season’s sketches. Viewers can catch up on her performances once the episode airs on NBC, followed by availability on Peacock.