SNL50 - Top 20 Monologues

 

The host monologue is always left to the last minute. The writers do not like writing them so it is often the weakest part of the show. There are the formulaic standbys like questions from the audience or tour through the backstage but there are also some gems. Comedians have an advantage of using their standup so they are usually good. For this list, I restricted myself that I couldn’t do multiple appearances by the same host in order to spread the love.

20. EMMY ENVY
EPISODE: S16E02 (10.06.1990)
HOST: Susan Lucci
MUSICAL GUEST: Hothouse Flowers
With so many Daytime Emmy losses, Susan Lucci is able to laugh at herself with everyone in the cast taking their multiple Emmys for granted, including using them as corn cob holders and ammo in an Emmy fight. (She won the Emmy 9 years later.)
LINK: Not Available

19. ASIAN STEREOTYPES
EPISODE: S26E08 (12.16.2000)
HOST: Lucy Liu
MUSICAL GUEST: Jay-Z
Fresh from Charlie’s Angels, Lucy Liu, as the first Asian host of SNL, is willing to play into the stereotypes in a look back at her week. The clips include Lucy taking photos, giving massages, dry cleaning, cooking dog, rickshaw running and giving manicures. Don’t know if they could do this today.
LINK: Click here

18. NINE DIRECTION
EPISODE: S39E08 (12.07.2013)
HOST: Paul Rudd
MUSICAL GUEST: One Direction
Paul Rudd combats getting overshadowed by yet another musical guest by bringing in his Anchorman costars for some “Afternoon Delight” singing. 
LINK: Click here

17. FRED’S WONDER YEARS
EPISODE: S15E14 (02.24.1990)
HOST: Fred Savage
MUSICAL GUEST: Technotronic
Great Wonder Years idea hearing Fred Savage’s inner monologue as he goes through puberty very quickly on stage.
LINK: Click here

16. LEO REELS IN JONAH
EPISODE: S39E12 (01.25.2014)
HOST: Jonah Hill
MUSICAL GUEST: Bastille
Jonah gets a chance to brag about his acting chops and Oscar nominations but goes too far and has to be reeled in by Leonardo DiCaprio. A killer cameo. Leo’s only time on the SNL stage.
LINK: Click here

15. LIVER TRANSPLANT
EPISODE: S20E14 (02.25.1995)
HOST: George Clooney
MUSICAL GUEST: The Cranberries
A fun gag with George Clooney of ER fame doing a liver transplant in the studio. Lots of blood and fun.
LINK: Click here

14. NATE DOES STAND-UP
EPISODE: S49E03 (10.28.2023)
HOST: Nate Bargatze
MUSICAL GUEST: Foo Fighters
This was my first introduction to Nate Bargatze and I instantly fell in love with his stand-up skills. A great set that includes showers, donkey high dives, fighting orangutans, old moms, nose spray and reading.
LINK: Click here

13. CHARLIE TAKES QUESTIONS
EPISODE: S26E09 (01.13.2001)
HOST: Charlie Sheen
MUSICAL GUEST: Nelly Furtado
Charlie Sheen does the classic taking questions from the audience although they include how much could I charge as a hooker and how much do these drugs cost? He also reimburses Higgins for watching the terrible film Men at Work.
LINK: Click here

12. NOT GONNA SING TONIGHT
EPISODE: S36E22 (05.21.2011)
HOST: Justin Timberlake
MUSICAL GUEST: Lady Gaga
Most of Justin’s monologues have been great but this one sticks out. I was tempted to include Ariana Grande’s similar toned song done for the 50^th season, but JT got there first with this meta performance. He even got an Emmy for this song.
LINK: Click here

11. LOUIS DOES STAND-UP
EPISODE: S39E16 (03.29.2014)
HOST: Louis C.K.
MUSICAL GUEST: Sam Smith
Before his cancellation, Louis CK was one of the top comedians. Here he performs another killer set including feeling hungry, child’s plays, heaven, and treatment of women.
LINK: Click here

10. IMPRESSIONS
EPISODE: S39E21 (05.17.2014)
HOST: Andy Samberg
MUSICAL GUEST: St. Vincent
Andy gets to do a string of good and sub-par impressions with Seth Meyers cheering him on. Fortunately, for us, it doesn’t stop there.
LINK: Click here

9. SHANNEN’S WEDDING VIDEO  
EPISODE: S19E02 (10.02.1993)
HOST: Shannen Doherty
MUSICAL GUEST: Cypress Hill
Shannen Doherty had a reputation of being difficult to work with on Beverly Hills 90210. She is able to laugh at herself with this disastrous wedding video that involves pushing, arguing and a full on brawl.
LINK: Click here

8. EULOGIES
EPISODE: S48E08 (12.10.2022)
HOSTS: Steve Martin, Martin Short
MUSICAL GUEST: Brandi Carlile
These comedy icons have a beautiful friendship that is full of playful insults. Reading eulogies to each other is hysterical. Plenty of laughs abound.
LINK: Click here

7. JOHN DOES STAND-UP
EPISODE: S45E14 (02.29.2020)
HOST: John Mulaney
MUSICAL GUEST: David Byrne
I love John’s stand-up. He covers things like dads without friends, leap year, the constitution and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
LINK: Click here

6. MY SHOT
EPISODE: S42E02 (10.08.2016)
HOST: Lin-Manuel Miranda
MUSICAL GUEST: Twenty One Pilots
Fresh off of Hamilton, of course Lin-Manuel is going to do some singing about his excitement being a part of SNL. He is such a fan boy. His interaction with Donald Trump’s portrait is wishful thinking though.
LINK: Click here

5. ZACH DOES STAND-UP
EPISODE: S35E16 (03.06.2010)
HOST: Zach Galifinakis
MUSICAL GUEST: Vampire Weekend
Zach is a weird guy and brings a lot of laughs with his bizarre non-sequiturs. He reminds me a little of Steven Wright. Almost every line out of his mouth is comedy gold. A great stand-up set.
LINK: Click here

4. THE RANDIEST TIME OF THE YEAR
EPISODE: S38E10 (12.15.2012)
HOST: Martin Short
MUSICAL GUEST: Paul McCartney
Okay, Martin Short is on the list already but he was co-hosting and I could not pass up this incredible song with innuendos galore. Love the cameos of Kristin Wiig, Jimmy Fallon, Tom Hanks, Samuel L Jackson, Tina Fey and a llama. Even the opening banter is full of laughs.
LINK: Not Available

3. THE SNL OFFICE
EPISODE: S32E14 (02.24.2007)
HOST: Rainn Wilson
MUSICAL GUEST: Arcade Fire
The cast gets to have some fun portraying The Office characters. Fun stuff. Nice mini Karen cameo.
LINK: Click here

2. ONE DAY MORE
EPISODE: S38E07 (11.10.2012)
HOST: Anne Hathaway
MUSICAL GUEST: Rihanna
Nothing like the full cast coming together for a rousing musical number. Fresh off of Les Miserables, Anne and the cast sing about their one-day weekend. Some great voices in that cast.
LINK: Click here

1. FOUL BALLS
EPISODE: S27E07 (12.01.2001)
HOST: Derek Jeter
MUSICAL GUEST: Bubba Sparxx, Shakira
Of course, New York loves their Yankee shortstop. Watching Derek Jeter knock foul balls into the audience is an incredibly stupid idea but makes me laugh so incredibly hard.
LINK: Click here

SNL50 - Top 20 Cast Members

 

There have been 167 cast members of SNL since it started 50 years ago. This is my list of the top 20. While there is consideration that goes into impact they had on the legacy of SNL, most of my choices are based on how happy I am to see them in a sketch or on Weekend Update. These performers have memorable characters, killer impressions and hold the show together with their energy, creativity and amazing comedic skills.

20. MIKEY DAY
SEASONS: 9+ (S42-Present)
CHARACTERS: Donald Trump Jr., Matt Schatt, “Butthead”
Miley Day is not known for a lot of recurring characters, except maybe Trump Jr., but he can always been found as a dad or political figure in sketches. He plays exasperated to perfection and is one of the stronger utility players to help add humour to any sketch. He is also a gifted writer who has brought a lot to many of sketches he doesn’t star in.

19. SETH MEYERS
SEASONS: 13 (S27-S39)
CHARACTERS: Needlers, John Kerry, Anderson Cooper
Seth Meyers is one of the best Weekend Update anchors with his quick wit and Really? segments. He was always great at playing the straight man to Update guests. While he would usually downplay his sketch acting, I always enjoyed his take on young or upper class roles. He also served a pivot role as a head writer who helped everyone else be funny on the show.

18. BOWEN YANG
SEASONS: 6+ (S45-Present)
CHARACTERS: George Santos, Elton John, Iceberg
Bowen Yang took a little time to grown on me. He is able to mix crazy with deadpan although he also tends to break quite easily. His update features including trend forecaster, animals or Titanic’s iceberg are filled with sass and fun. He always brings a breath of fresh air to a sketch.

17. NORM MACDONALD
SEASONS: 5 (S19-S23)
CHARACTERS: Larry King, David Letterman, Bob Dole
Norm MacDonald is the best Weened Update anchor; his dry sense of humour and weird obsessions made update a highlight for his years behind the desk before being booted for too many OJ jokes. His nasally voice was no barrier to great impressions and his Burt Reynolds always added another level to the great Jeopardy sketches.

16. KATE MCKINNON
SEASONS: 11 (S37-S47)
CHARACTERS: Colleen Rafferty, Olya Povlatsky, Ellen, RBG, Hillary Clinton, Jeff Sessions, Rudy Giuliani
Kate McKinnon is a very gifted impressionist. She always rocked political sketches and took on a large number of male roles which were necessary during the Trump sagas. Her characters were often quirky and often went over the top which caused many fellow cast members to break like the Close Encounters sketches. I always enjoyed her comradery with other female cast members like Cecily Strong and Aidy Bryant.

15. CECILY STRONG
SEASONS: 11 (S38-S48)
CHARACTERS: Jeanine Pirro, Melania Trump, Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation with at a Party   
Cecily Strong has such a great range. She nailed air-headedness with her party girl, Gemma and porn star pitchwoman. She was loud and in your face when playing entitled Republican political figures. She is smart as a one season Weekend Update anchor. And don’t forget her Girlfriends Talk Show and The Science Room. Cecily also has a perfect blend of sexiness and humour that adds to a lot of sketches.

14. WILL FORTE
SEASONS: 8 (S28-S35)
CHARACTERS: Tim Calhoun, The Falconer, Greg Stink, MacGruber, Zell Miller, George W Bush, Dancing Coach
Will Forte is weird but his brand of humour always makes me laugh out loud; I’m not sure if some of it is just his voice. Despite some of the crazy characters he has played, I rarely saw him break. There is an innocence to him that always makes you want to root for him whether he’s singing Jon Bovi lyrics or performing terribly at a spelling bee. He is also not afraid to go to dark places like the Halloween pedophile. There are not many people who could fill the shoes Forte left behind.

13. AMY POEHLER
SEASONS: 8 (S27-S34)
CHARACTERS: Betty Caruso, Kaitlin, Hillary Clinton,
Avril Lavigne, Dakota Fanning, Michael Jackson
Amy Poehler always brought a great amount of energy to the SNL stage. Just watching her run around as Kaitlin asking Rick about a sleepover was both exhausting and hilarious. She played the political figures well and took on male roles which paved the way for Kate McKinnon. Amy was also a lot of fun on Weekend Update playing around with her BFF’s Tina Fey and Seth Meyers. She was always a treat to watch.

12. DAN AYKROYD
SEASONS: 4 (S1-S4)
CHARACTERS: Beldar Conehead, Irwin Mainway,
Bob Dole, Elwood Blues, Jimmy Carter, Julia Child
I don’t think SNL would have made it without Dan Aykroyd. John Belushi got to be crazy but Aykroyd was the stalwart player that kept each sketch going and throwing in the best lines. He was surprisingly not great as an Update anchor but always excelled at Point/Counterpoint. A perfect pitchman and game show host, he also played great skeezy characters. Every character was so specific and original in those early days. He was truly a wild and crazy guy.

11. KRISTEN WIIG
SEASONS: 7 (S31-S37)
CHARACTERS: Penelope, Dooneese, Target Lady, Gilly,
Aunt Linda, Judy Grimes, Bjork, Kathie Lee Gifford
Kristen Wiig always went all out when it came to her characters, like throwing herself out a window as Sue who loves surprises. Her dramatic characters like a diva on Secret Word or Liza Minnelli trying to turn off a lamp were always outrageous and made you laugh. While many of her characters were always welcomed back with open arms, someone like Gilly got too one note, but that’s just me.

10. ANDY SAMBERG
SEASONS: 7 (S31-S37)
CHARACTERS: Blizzard Man, Cathy, Swedish Chef, Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Cage, Kuato, Mark Wahlberg
I love Andy Samberg. This is a guy that you could tell was having the time of his life on SNL. Every character is full of goofy playfulness that makes you smile. Of course, his Digital Shorts with the Lonely Island boys took him to the top; those videos were often a highlight of the show whether it be a hilarious musical number or something very weird and outrageous. I wasn’t a fan of his hairstyles though.

9. DANA CARVEY
SEASONS: 7 (S12-S18)
CHARACTERS: Garth, Church Lady, George HW Bush, Dennis Miller, Hans, Johnny Carson, Ross Perot
Dana Carvey helped saved the show after the disastrous previous season. His impressions were so amazing he had to pull double duty doing Bush and Perot debating each other. He was usually the star and standout in sketches, rarely playing supporting roles, well maybe except Garth. He could carry a sketch on his own as shown in plenty of his cold opens as Bush. He brought new life to SNL and will always be synonymous with the show.

8. KENAN THOMPSON
SEASONS: 22+ (S29-present)
CHARACTERS: Lorenzo McIntosh, Charles Barkley, Willie, OJ, Reese De’What, Steve Harvey, Jean K Jean
For most viewers now, it is hard to imagine SNL without Kenan Thompson. He is still bringing it every episode. Like Phil Hartman, he is the glue that keeps everything running and elevates every sketch. He often has perfect line delivery whether it be saying his character’s name or a capper to a scene. I enjoy his rascally characters most. Kenan must have played every black celebrity at this point.

7. GILDA RADNER
SEASONS: 5 (S1-S5)
CHARACTERS: Baba Wawa, Emily Litella, Lisa Loopner, Roseanne Roseannadanna, Bobbi Farber
Everyone was in love with Gilda Radner. If you read about the history of the show, this is quite evident from the male cast and writers. The energy that Gilda brought to the show was amazing. Her hyper activeness as Judy Miller was adorable and hilarious. Her nerdiness as Lisa Loopner played so well with Bill Murray. While John Belushi didn’t believe that women could be funny, the exception for him was Gilda. She was the bright beacon of the first five years with her sweetness and optimism in a show full of cynicism.

6. WILL FERRELL
SEASONS: 7 (S21-S27)
CHARACTERS: George W Bush, Alex Trebek, Spartan Cheerleader, Reno, Jacob Silj Marty Culp, James Lipton, Robert Goulet, Ted Kaczynski, Gene Frenkle, Steve Butabi
Will Ferrell is perfect at starting quiet and working his way up to insanity; look at Get Off the Shed and Cowbell if you need a reference. Will works great in duos whether it be cohosting a talk show, dancing to Haddaway, cheerleading or dueling with Al Gore. Will could play doctors and dads with the best of them but also created some outrageous personalities. His work at SNL led to his triumphs beyond the show as Ron Burgundy and Ricky Bobby. Will Ferrell is truly one of the greats.

5. MIKE MYERS
SEASONS: 7 (S14-S20)
CHARACTERS: Wayne Campbell, Linda Richman, Lothar, Lance Ito, Simon, George Stephanopoulos, Ron Wood
My love of Mike Myers may be connected to the fact that he is Canadian. I enjoyed watching him succeed on SNL. He was the king of recurring characters, most notably as Wayne Campbell of Wayne’s World. Like Will Ferrell after him, Myers was great at creating a fully developed character, which would later serve him for Austin Powers. I’m not sure with how well he played with other cast members but he always brought the laughs.

4. CHRIS FARLEY
SEASONS: 5 (S16-S20)
CHARACTERS: Matt Foley, Bennett Brauer, Beverly Gelfand, Tom Arnold, Meat Loaf, Newt Gingrich
Chris Farley never thought he was a good actor, he was just large and loud. I disagree. Sure, he was large and loud but he brought awesome characters to the SNL stage. His motivational speaker is top-notch. His Chippendales dance is athletic and courageous. Despite his bombastic nature, you always rooted for Chris. Just watch his interviews with Paul McCartney and Martin Scorsese and you will laugh and feel his every embarrassment. There is no one like Chris Farley. He eclipsed his idol, John Belushi, despite falling victim to same vices. I think Farley is remembered more fondly though in the history of SNL.

3. EDDIE MURPHY
SEASONS: 4 (S6-S9)
CHARACTERS: Buckwheat, Mr. Robinson, James Brown, Gumby, Velvet Jones, Bill Cosby, Stevie Wonder, Dion, Mr. T, Michael Jackson, Tyrone Green
Eddie Murphy will always be credited with saving SNL. While it was almost dead after the original cast left, Murphy single-handedly brought life to the show with his youthful energy and dynamic characters. I would often rent the best of Eddie Murphy SNL so I could re-watch his amazing sketches. Mr. Robinson was always a highlight for me. It would also be fun to watch Murphy break with Joe Piscopo and then try to get back on track. Eddie Murphy is an SNL legend and continues to be so.

2. BILL HADER
SEASONS: 8 (S31-S38)
CHARACTERS: Stefon, Herb Welch, Devin, Lyle Round, Nitro, Dwayne Vogelcheck, Vinny Vedecci, James Carville, Al Pacino, Alan Alda, Vincent Price, Peter O’Toole
Bill Hader basically took over from Will Ferrell and then kicked it up a notch. His voice impressions are bang on. His characters often have a level of snark to them that I love, I’m thinking of the abusive Herb Welch and his string of game show hosts. Hader is also willing to let others shine in sketches and plays great utility characters like dads and assistants. His standout though is Stefon, which would make me laugh so hard, I often had tears in my eyes. He made every sketch better.

1. PHIL HARTMAN
SEASONS: 8 (S12-S19)
CHARACTERS: Bill Clinton, Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, Jesus, Frankenstein, Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump, Frank Sinatra, Phil Donahue, Barbara Bush, Peter Graves
Phil Hartman is forever remembered as the ‘glue’ of SNL. He was the greatest utility player that brought extra to every scene he was in. Whether a game show host, dad, CEO, political figure, religious scammer or celebrity, Phil Hartman could do it all. He was beloved by cast and crew and had no ego about his role on the show. He made everyone around him better as a performer. You knew that if you saw Phil Hartman in a sketch (and he was in most of them – 1018 to be exact), you were in for a treat. He is one of the most respected cast members of SNL and he is dearly missed.

SNL50 - Top 20 Cold Opens

 

Pretty much every SNL begins with a Cold Open. In the first year, most of them involved Chevy Chase taking a giant fall before announcing “Live from New York, It’s Saturday Night!” Soon though, the majority of the cold opens would be politically influenced, whether it be a debate, address to the country or some scandal. Picking ones that are funny or memorable without having to be incredibly versed in the politics of that particular week was challenging at times. Anywhere, here’s my list

20. CRUZ STREET
EPISODE: S47E06 (11.13.2021)
HOST: Jonathan Majors
MUSICAL GUEST: Taylor Swift
Aidy Bryant as Ted Cruz gives us a much darker version of Sesame Street complete with songs, guns, Joe Rogan, and a fun portion with Bert and Ernie.
LINK: Click here

19. PRESS CONFERENCE
EPISODE: S27E04 (11.03.2001)
HOST: John Goodman
MUSICAL GUEST: Ja Rule
Darrell Hammond takes on John Ashcroft as he warns the country about a probable terrorist attack. He tries his hardest to make everyone feel better but fails miserably.
LINK: Not Available

18. DOLE IMPRESSION
EPISODE: S22E06 (11.16.1996)
HOST: Robert Downey Jr.
MUSICAL GUEST: Fiona Apple
The cast has a term for this that I heard on a podcast but can’t remember it for the life of me. The internet calls it a ‘meta-moment’ when the real life person encounters their impersonator. This one has Bob Dole, fresh from a presidential defeat, talking to Norm MacDonald. Awkward humour ensues.
LINK: Not Available

17. THE PRESIDENTIAL COUPLE
EPISODE: S26E05 (11.11.2000)
HOST: Calista Flockhart
MUSICAL GUEST: Ricky Martin
Oh, that time when no one knew who won the election; there were a bunch of episodes that dealt with the recount. This is a fun idea of having Will Ferrell’s Bush and Darrell Hammond’s Gore work together as an Odd Couple-like pairing. Great move to not pick a side.
LINK: Not Available

16. THE LAST SUPPER
EPISODE: S48E17 (04.08.2023)
HOST: Molly Shannon
MUSICAL GUEST: Jonas Brothers
What has become a tradition, Trump interrupts a religious Easter sketch and compares himself to Jesus. James Austin Johnson does an awesome job ranting about the most random things. He also enjoys adding personal commentary about the frozen cast behind him.
LINK: Click here

15. SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK!
EPISODE: S40E07 (11.22.2014)
HOST: Cameron Diaz
MUSICAL GUEST: Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars
Such fun memories of Schoolhouse Rock! There’s just something funny about Obama pushing a bill down the stairs. The executive order is also pretty fun.
LINK: Click here

14. OBAMACARE WEBSITE
EPISODE: S39E04 (10.26.2013)
HOST: Edward Norton
MUSICAL GUEST: Janelle Monae
Kate McKinnon plays Kathleen Sebelius trying to defend the new Obabmacare website with its many glitches. The scaled down version is funny as are the FAQs. There is a lot of fun silliness in this one.
LINK: Click here

13. PRESS CONFERENCE
EPISODE: S42E14 (02.11.2017)
HOST: Alec Baldwin
MUSICAL GUEST: Ed Sheeran
Melissa McCarthy kills as Press Secretary Sean Spicer being antagonistic with the journalists. The large gum, dolls, leaf blower and podium on wheels are great prop comedy. Add in some of Kate McKinnon’s Jeff Session for some extra spice.
LINK: Click here

12. WILL FERRELL RETURNS
EPISODE: S30E19 (05.14.2005)
HOST: Will Ferrell
MUSICAL GUEST: Queens of the Stone Age
Will Ferrell is known for his friendliness so it is a lot of fun hearing his egotistical, mean-spirited inner monologue. "Finesse not Kenan."
LINK: Not Available

11. AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
EPISODE: S39E01 (09.28.2013)
HOST: Tina Fey
MUSICAL GUEST: Arcade Fire
Jay Pharaoh does his awesome President Obama trying to defend his health care act. The string of cast members complaining about Obamacare is a great testament to the stupidity of some American people. Add in some Jesse Pinkman during the height of Breaking Bad and you got a killer cold open.
LINK: Click here

10. WOLVERINES
EPISODE: S01E01 (10.11.1975)
HOST: George Carlin
MUSICAL GUEST: Janis Ian, Billy Preston
It would be disrespectful not to include the very first cold open. It also happens to be funny as well. John Belushi’s accent is fun to listen to. It’s a silly gag but a great way to start this landmark series.
LINK: Click here

9. 9/11 TRIBUTE
EPISODE: S27E01 (09.29.2001)
HOST: Reese Witherspoon
MUSICAL GUEST: Alicia Keys
Back when Rudy Guiliani wasn’t a crazy person, he respectfully reopened New York with the SNL premiere after the September 11 attacks. Paul Simon’s “The Boxer” and the shots of the first responders is still moving to me. It also gets a fun interchange with Rudy and Lorne.
AMERICAN LINK: Click here

8. DEBATE ‘92
EPISODE: S18E03 (10.10.1992)
HOST: Joe Pesci
MUSICAL GUEST: Spin Doctors
Debates became the standout cold opens during election years. This one featuring Phil Hartman’s Bill Clinton and Dana Carvey as both George HW Bush and Ross Perot is a classic. All the responses are perfectly crafted. (David Spade is the stand-in for Perot in wide shots of the three.). 
LINK: Click here

7. DIRTY SQUARE DANCING
EPISODE: S16E04 (10.27.1990)
HOST: Patrick Swayze
MUSICAL GUEST: Mariah Carey
I love the simplicity of the square dancing, and making it dirty with offensive lyrics is just a bizarre and fun way for Patrick Swayze to start the show.
LINK: Not Available

6. MILITARY BRIEFING
EPISODE: S16E12 (02.09.1991)
HOST: Kevin Bacon
MUSICAL GUEST: INXS
Operation Desert Storm was a memorable time in my teen years. I enjoy the dangerous questions the news reporters ask Kevin Nealon who has to dodge them. I love the Baghdad Times asking “Where are your troops and can I go there and count them?” Same shtick but works.
LINK: Click here

5. THE TONIGHT SONG
EPISODE: S17E09 (12.14.1991)
HOST: Steve Martin
MUSICAL GUEST: James Taylor
Talk about a crowd-pleaser. After some coaxing from cast members, Steve Martin decides to give a crap about the show and breaks out into song and brings everyone on board. I used to think this was his monologue but instead it is one of the most satisfying cold opens of SNL.
LINK: Click here

4. SANTA CHENEY
EPISODE: S31E09 (12.17.2005)
HOST: Jack Black
MUSICAL GUEST: Neil Young
Part of one of the best episodes in SNL history, Darrel Hammond’s Dick Cheney is slick as a Santa getting kids to make outrageous political wishes.
LINK: Click here

3. BIDEN’S ROOM
EPISODE: S37E21 (05.12.2012)
HOST: Will Ferrell
MUSICAL GUEST: Usher
Jason Sudeikis playing VP Joe Biden as a petulant child is pretty funny considering Joe eventually becomes president. The reveal of Biden’s imaginary friend as Will Ferrell’s former President Bush elevates this cold open.
LINK: Not Available

2. A NONPARTISAN MESSAGE
EPISODE: S34E01 (09.13.2008)
HOST: Michael Phelps
MUSICAL GUEST: Lil Wayne
Talk about meeting expectations with Tina Fey starting her guest starring run as Sarah Palin. Seeing Amy Poehler’s Hilary Clinton filled with constant annoyance and Palin’s utter stupidity is perfection. The highlight will always be “I can see Russia from my house.” So funny.
LINK: Click here

1. JOY RIDE
EPISODE: S18E04 (10.24.1992)
HOST: Christopher Walken
MUSICAL GUEST: Arrested Development
While I love hearing Dana Carvey nail that Ross Perot impression, Phil Hartman steals the show as the shell shocked VP nominee Admiral Stockdale. The idea of dumping his VP in the forest is priceless but the running to catch up to the car makes this hysterical and the best cold open in my opinion.
LINK: Click here