SNL Joins the Search for a New Oscars Host
With the 2019 Academy Awards rapidly approaching—and no clear host for the evening in sight—the pressure is on. (Kevin Hart was supposed to fill the slot, but was forced to step down after refusing to apologize for past anti-LGBTQ comments, including that he would break a doll house over his son’s head if he ever tried to play with it.) With Hart ousted, and only a handful of celebrities left who seem up for the challenge, the cast of Saturday Night Live decided to host their own style of auditions for the gig.
This week’s show, hosted by actor Matt Damon, saw cast members such as Kate McKinnon, Keenan Thompson, Pete Davidson, Aidy Bryant and more use the sketch to show off their best impressions. Contenders included Tiffany Haddish—“Should Tiffany Haddish host the Oscars? She ready!”—Chris Hemsworth—“Host the Oscars? Why would anyone want to look at me? wink”—and Allison Janney, who retorts, “I’ll do it! Meet my co-host: Tequila Jones.”
More controversial celebs who could be taking the primetime spot? There’s McKinnon as comedian Michelle Wolf, who infamously came for blood with her White House Correspondents Dinner bit this year. Or there’s also Bryant as Roseanne Barr, who this year was fired from her own sitcom following a racist Twitter rant. “Relax, it was an Ambien, everybody’s so sensitive,” Bryant says in the sketch.
Perhaps the best zinger of all, though? McKinnon as Ellen Degeneres, who has hosted the Oscars twice before and broke the Internet with that star-studded selfie in 2014. “I haven’t done anything controversial in my life. Except for being gay,” McKinnon says. “But people like that now, except for the guy that was supposed to host.” Watch the full sketch above.
