‘Saturday Night Live’: Regina King Talks “Black Fame” During Opening Monologue

Alexandra Del Rosario
·1 min read
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Regina King made her Saturday Night Live hosting debut tonight and kicked off her show remembering her “pretty wild career.” However, the Oscar-winning actress knows that audiences may have first learned of her from different titles.

“If you’re Black you probably know me from being in some of your favorite movies. If you’re white you probably know me from Watchmen or this monologue,” she said.”

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The One Night in Miami director and Watchmen lead said that the past year has been hectic but said that when the fame gets too much, there’s an easy way to stay grounded.

“Whenever Black fame gets too crazy for me, I just go to the next white town and I’m the regular suspicious shopper again,” she quipped.

Though nervous about hosting the show, King got some backup from Kenan Thompson. Donning a wide-brimmed hat and chains (a nod to Run-D.M.C.), Thompson served to help hype the audience for King’s hosting debut. King continued her opening monologue, only to be briefly interrupted by Thompson who rapped about her accomplishments.

While the backup was nice, King said she could take the show by herself.

“I’m a trained actor and I don’t need all that,” she said.

During her opening monologue she also spoke about how Eddie Murphy inspired her desire to host the sketch series and how Lorne Michaels helped her create her sketches. Nathaniel Rateliff joined as musical guest.

Watch King’s monologue above.

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