Greatest SNL Hosts Of All Time

I've seen so many of the "Greatest ____ of All Time" threads, I wanted to start one of my own. They're too much fun, although I'm having trouble compiling a list for Holden's greatest TV show thread. Whaddya expect from a girl who spent over a week seriously trying to map out her top ten movies (I spent an insane amount of hours on that)--and still isn't quite satisfied?

Anywho. My favorite SNL hosts:

Chris Walken--readin' the cue cards, singin' the songs...
Alec Baldwin--his Canteen Boy sketch...
Steve Martin
Tom Hanks

You might say, well, sure, those guys--they've only hosted something like fifty times apiece. A couple of singles and/or doubles:

Kevin Spacey--the guy can do imitations like nobody's business, and the Star Wars try-outs sketch proved that
Tobey Maguire
Ben Stiller--although I think he might have been on there more than twice
And, strangely enough, Jennifer Lopez, who I hate on general principle, was very funny, skewering her Public Image Ltd. to great effect

Agree/disagree? Other hosts?

Mary Lo

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I wish I could catch the Spacey episode. I've heard so much about it that I'm dying to see what everyone is talking about.

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"I was walking down the street with my friend and he said, "I hear music", as if there is any other way you can take it in. You're not special, that's how I receive it too. I tried to taste it but it did not work." - Mitch Hedberg

I didn't dig J-Lo's appearance on there. Just didn't make me laugh. As for my favorites: you stole 'em all already. Spacey, Walken, and definitely Baldwin (the guy could be a regular). I'd say Jim Carrey's one of the best, too. Might be the best, in my opinion. It never felt like he was just standing around...he was a huge part of the hilarity the whole time.

Goodness! The way he said "champagne" I thought I would die!
Kevin Spacey is so fresh. I loved that one.
Alec, he's such a funny man...never realized until he did SNL.
Jennifer Anniston, I have to say...she was funny. That cat fight with Molly Shannon! I have more...I just...hmm, I don't feel like it I guess.

Alec Baldwin. Dude just makes you wanna laugh just by merely talking. "Schwedi balls" was pretty funny, as was "Canteen Boy" Mary mentioned, and the skit where I think he was a clepto, pretending to be an animal??

Steve Martin is the best "SNL" host of all-time. From the '70s up through the '90s the guy delivers every single time, no matter which casts or writing staffs are there. His April '78 shot, with the first appearance of The Blues Brothers and Steve's performance of "King Tut" may be the best of the best.

Similarly, Bill Murray has always delivered in all of his many post-"SNL" returns as host or surprise guest star.

The show Paul Simon hosted in November '76, doing double-duty and accompanying George Harrison as musical guest, was perfection and may be my one favorite episode, even featuring a little cameo from the recently departed Chevy Chase in the opening.

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I disagree. Murray's latest stint was highly unfunny to me. There were moments, sure, but it was not up to the standard of his past gigs...and certainly not Murray-caliber comedy.

As for Martin: same deal. "King Tut" was too funny for words, but his latest (I think it was something like 5 years ago, but I honestly don't know) didn't do much for me. Then again, the show as a whole had taken a step down...but I don't think that was the sole cause. Those two episodes felt, to me, unfunny even in comparison to the SNL of the time.

i am sorry to have missed the spacey show.......i'm cryin' right along with you spud.

my favorites are everyone elses thus far;
steve martin
alec baldwin
bill murray
walken

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on dance seul, on dance seul.....

Yes, he is good--and, aside from the Helen Hunt/Jack Nicholson one, was part of the best Night at the Roxbury guys sketches ever. What is love? Baby don't hurt me...

Totally--I can't believe I forgot that one!

And I have to agree with Holden on the Murray. Dude is just real, real funny, and was great on SNL in every appearance I saw. Another big one I forgot. I'm ashamed of myself.

Another good one--it's awful old, but one of the funniest ever. Believe it or not... Jason Priestley. I'm serious.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Bill Murray was the host for this episode I am about to talk about...Bill Murray selling the book to "The Quotable Caddyshack". Was he the host or wasn't he?

I'm fairly sure that he did indeed host that one. I think it was the same episode in which he played a male cheerleader (for the Knicks, I think).

I agree totally with that. I haven't seen anybody come on the show and crack me up as much as he did. I especially loved the lifeguard skit .......it was hysterical. I think I have Carrey's appearance on SNL on tape somewhere.

Jim Carrey's appearence on the "Joe Pesci" show doing an impersonation of Jimmy Stewart was hilarious.

And yes, Walken's version of champagne "cham-payne-ya" is always worth a good laugh.

Even better: he ends up doing Jimmy Stewart, doing Jim Carrey. They also get Mark McKinney (I think that's the chap's name) to imitate Jim Carrey imitating Jimmy Stewart. I think.

My head hurts.




"Do you like it? I got it at Target."

definately

Christopher Walken
Tom Hanks
or Kevin Spacey

Enjoy! If there are any skits that you all want to see, or show, let me know. Maybe I have them.

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Alot of hosts have been great but I'm gonna go with Baldwin and Walkin as my favorites.




&NR

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Fear the Probe!

lmao I LOVE Christopher Walkin. I just made a post the other day, that I was listening to the soundtrack for The Stand, but it needed more cowbell. Yep, same song. I love his skit for The Dead Zone as well.
I like Baldwin, but those 2 women really annoy me, so I just can't enjoy those as much.

I loved the dance sketch between Martin and Radner. It was classy and classic and hilarious. Those were the good days on SNL. (Yes, I'm old enough to have seen the very first shows when they were live -- and it was an incredibly new concept.)

Oh, and for those of you who wanted to see the Kevin Spacey Star Wars auditions, here's a link:

http://www.milkandcookies.com/article/3124/

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Oh, and one surprise good host was Drew Barrymore. I wouldn't have thought I'd find her that amusing, but she fit right in.