Chris Rock performed the first monologue of “Saturday Night Live’s” 46th season, tackling some of the weightiest topics of the year. The comedian, wielding a mask in front of a sparse audience full of first responders, acknowledged the elephant in the room right off the bat with a reference to President Donald Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis. In one of his more stinging jabs, he quipped, “My heart goes out to COVID.” Watch the “SNL” monologue above.
Rock spoke about the impact of the coronavirus from many angles. “I haven’t had so much stuff up my nose since I shared a dressing room with Chris Farley,” he joked, referencing his time as an “SNL” cast member in the early ‘90s. He observed how COVID has ruined everyone’s plans throughout 2020, noting that while the virus has had a devastating impact on the world, it also ruined his Coachella plans.
The comedian also declared that Democratic nominee Joe Biden “should be the last president ever,” after which America should do something totally different, because what we have going on in government is simply not working. “There’s more rules to a game show than running for president,” noted Rock. “Donald Trump left a game show to run for president because it was easier.” Pointing out the inherent wrongness in how all you have to do to run for president is be over 35 and born in the country, Rock stated, Steve Harvey can’t put his family on ‘Family Feud.’”
Rock proceeded with his monologue by joking about how ridiculous it is that we hold the election on a Tuesday in November. He ended with a profound quote by poet James Baldwin: “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it’s faced.”
This was Rock’s second time hosting the NBC sketch comedy series following his appearance in Season 40 in 2014.
SIGN UP for Gold Derby’s newsletter with experts’ latest predictions
