NEW YORK 鈥� 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥� tried its first 鈥渜uarantine version" of the comedy show, with Tom Hanks, one of the first celebrities to disclose he had the coronavirus, Coldplay singer Chris Martin and the comedy show's entire cast phoning in with jokes from home.
After being gone for more than a month, the NBC comedy institution returned to the air on Easter weekend by emulating other late-night hosts who have abandoned studios and audiences for DIY merriment amid the coronavirus pandemic.
鈥淚t is good to be here, though it also very weird to be here hosting 鈥楽aturday Night Live鈥� at home,鈥� Hanks said, speaking from his kitchen. 鈥淚t is a strange time to try and be funny, but trying to be funny is 鈥楽NL鈥檚 whole thing.鈥�
Hanks, in a close-cropped haircut he said was done for a movie, announced last month that he and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for the virus. They recuperated while in Australia.
On the show, the Oscar winner said he had to get used to learning his temperature in degrees Celsius, where 36 was good but 38 was bad, 鈥渓ike Hollywood treats female actresses.鈥�
The world's new way of keeping in contact 鈥� Zoom meetings 鈥� was ripe for satire. The show's 鈥渃old open鈥� showed all cast members arrayed in an onscreen gallery familiar to many working from home.
鈥淟ive from Zoom,鈥� Kate McKinnon said. 鈥淚t's sometime between March and August.鈥�
One skit featured a mock Zoom work meeting, where McKinnon and Aidy Bryant played a pair of inappropriate receptionists. Bryant was stopped just in time when she brought her laptop with her into the bathroom.
鈥淚 used my license as toilet paper and now I don't know my own birthday,鈥� Bryant said.
Pete Davidson made a mock Drake video and McKinnon portrayed Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg doing a workout routine from home.
鈥淓very day I eat half a chicken,鈥� she said. 鈥淪orry, chickpea.鈥�
With Bernie Sanders dropping out of the Democratic primary race since the last time 鈥淪NL鈥� was on, Larry David appeared from his easy chair to once again impersonate the Vermont senator.
鈥淒on't worry about me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t's spring in Vermont, so soon it will be up to 40 degrees. And I finally have the time to relax and finish that heart attack from October.鈥�
The show kept to its traditional structure with a musical guest and 鈥淲eekend Update.鈥� Martin, on acoustic guitar, played a version of Bob Dylan's 鈥淪helter From the Storm.鈥� Signs on the wall behind him said 鈥淓ntrance to Trains,鈥� a nod to the Grand Central Terminal-themed 鈥淪NL鈥� set.
Colin Jost and Michael Che imported an electronic audience for laughs during 鈥淲eekend Update,鈥� since Che said telling jokes with no reaction reminded him of a hostage video.
鈥淭uesday was National Beer Day,鈥� Jost said. 鈥淲hich is the first time alcohol had helped me remember what day it is.鈥�
Che took note that minorities were suffering disproportionately in the pandemic.
鈥淥nce Trump starts calling this the Harlem Flu, we ain't never going to get a cure,鈥� he said.
Alec Baldwin, portraying Trump, called in to the 鈥淲eekend Update鈥� segment, although without video since Baldwin didn't have access to makeup. The faux president noted that 鈥渆very night at 7 p.m. all of New York claps and cheers for the great job I'm doing,鈥� a reference to the nightly tribute to medical workers.
The show also touchingly paid tribute to music producer Hal Willner, who scored music for many years on 鈥淪NL鈥� and died this past week after showing symptoms consistent with the coronavirus. Past cast members Adam Sandler, Tina Fey and Bill Hader were among those who offered remembrances.
David Bauder, The Associated Press
