Tom Hanks Hosts First-Ever Stay-At-Home 'Saturday Night Live'

"It's a strange time to try and be funny," the actor, who has recovered from COVID-19, said from his kitchen during an otherwordly "SNL" monologue.

“Hey, it’s good to be here, though it is also very weird to be here hosting ‘Saturday Night Live’ from home,” Tom Hanks announced during a surprise appearance as host of the historic stay-at-home edition of “SNL.”

The actor, who recently recovered from COVID-19, captured the bizarre feeling that came with the “SNL” cast putting on a show while sheltering in their homes.

“It is a strange time to try and be funny. But trying to be funny is ‘SNL’s’ whole thing, so we thought, what the heck, let’s give it a shot,” said Hanks, dressed in a suit in the middle of his kitchen.

He referred to himself at the “celebrity canary in the coal mine for the coronavirus.” He and his wife, Rita Wilson, tested positive for COVID-19 last month in Australia, were hospitalized, then stayed in quarantine until returning to Los Angeles two weeks ago.

Hanks joked that he’s now “more like America’s dad than ever before, since no one wants to be around me very long, and I make people uncomfortable.”

He and Wilson are “doing great,” he said, and “hunkered down — like all of us should be.”

Hanks warned viewers that the show wouldn’t look the same as it always does ― but that it’s still “SNL.”

“There’ll be some good stuff, maybe one or two stinkers,” he said. “You know the drill.”

Hanks concluded: “Stay safe. We are in this for the duration, and we will get through this together.”

Check out the video up top.

And here’s a glimpse of the cast at home from the opening credits:

We caught up with the cast at home for the #SNLAtHome opening ‼️ pic.twitter.com/iloDjVTDZy

— Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) April 12, 2020

A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus

Before You Go

Close

What's Hot