James Gandolfini Never Hosted 'SNL'... But He Did Drop By Once [Video]

Dave Nemetz

We're still processing the shocking death of "Sopranos" star James Gandolfini at the way-too-young age of 51. And we could all use a good laugh right now. Good thing we have this "SNL" clip, then.

[Related: James Gandolfini's 'Sopranos' Co-Stars React to His Death]

James Gandolfini actually never hosted "Saturday Night Live," which is absolutely unfathomable in retrospect. (For shame, Lorne Michaels!) But thankfully, he did drop by "Weekend Update" back in 2004, playing a "New Jersey resident" (har har) who's there to comment on governor Jim McGreevey's gay sex scandal.

"The Sopranos" was in its prime back then, and Gandolfini has the "SNL" audience eating out of his hand; he slays them with a simple "How ya doin'?" And he proves he could handle comedy just as well as drama, displaying exquisite comic timing on a rapid-fire series of Mafioso gags.

[Photos: The Many Sides of Tony Soprano]

He gives Tina Fey a DVD player as a thank-you: "It's Sanyo. It's a good one." He shamelessly hits on Amy Poehler. He calls McGreevey a "fanook." He chides Tina for interrupting him while he's talking. He tosses around ethnic stereotypes like they're stale cannolis. He refers to Tina as "the mouthy one." He hits on Amy again. He is Tony Soprano, in all his magnificently flawed glory, and he is fantastic.

We're still sad after watching that... but we're a little less sad. Thanks (again), James.

Check out James Gandolfini's 20 best roles, led (of course) by "The Sopranos":