“Saturday Night Live” host Jean Smart kicked of this year’s 50th season of the storied sketch show with a monologue highlighting its home city, the Big Apple.
Taking the stage in a sparkly pink pantsuit, the “Hacks” star said, “I can’t tell you how honored I am to be hosting the premiere episode of Season 50. It truly is incredible to be here.” She added with a grin, “I haven’t gotten all dressed up and had hundreds of people clap for me in days,” referencing her recent Emmy win for lead actress in a comedy series.
Smart reflected on watching the very first episode of “SNL” and thinking to herself how she’d host the show someday. “And this was the first Saturday that worked for my schedule,” she said with a smirk. Recalling her New York City beginnings as a young actor in her 20s, Smart quipped, “I always think of New York as my home, even though I have a much nicer home in L.A.”
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She broke into song, highlighting the stenches, sights and sounds of New York, and the changing seasons, too. “I love autumn in New York… the color of trash bags changing.” She also noted seeing Mayor Eric Adams in the news. “I didn’t read it, I’m sure it was something good.” (The mayor recently pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges.)
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Smart serenaded the audiences inside Studio 8H, singing, “I Happen to Like New York,” in which she took loving jabs at the city and reflected on her popularity among lesbians. “Lesbians are obsessed with me,” mused the Emmy winner, whose “Hacks” character Deborah Vance performs, in one episode of the Max comedy, on a cruise for gay women.
Not even two weeks ago, Smart won the Emmy for lead actress in a comedy for her performance in Season 3 of “Hacks.” It was Smart’s third time taking home the gold for playing the fictional Vegas-based comic, and her sixth Emmy overall.
“It’s very humbling, it really is. And I appreciate this because I just don’t get enough attention. I’m serious,” Smart joked as she accepted the trophy.
Before Smart’s monologue, “Saturday Night Live” kicked off its 50th season with a cold open featuring the return of Maya Rudolph as Vice President Kamala Harris. The show also revealed Jim Gaffigan as her running mate, Tim Walz, and Andy Samberg as her husband, Doug Emhoff.
“SNL” will celebrate its big anniversary with a live primetime special on Feb. 16. The series airs on NBC at 11:30 p.m. ET and streams on Peacock.
