Few parts of Saturday Night Live carry more pressure than the opening monologue. For hosts, it’s the moment that sets the tone for the entire night and a chance to prove they belong on one of television’s most intimidating stages. In the latest installment of The Rundown, Jack Black selects the greatest guest monologue to include in the series’ fantasy all-time SNL episode.
Over the years, the monologue has evolved into its own SNL art form, producing everything from stand-up showcases to elaborate musical numbers to meta-commentary about the show itself. Black knows that well, having launched into some memorable song and dance numbers over his years at Studio 8H.
Before making his final choice, Black reflected on several memorable hosts and opening moments that have defined the show over the years. He praised Zach Galifianakis for his bizarre comedic energy, recalled Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s surprising athleticism during sketches, and noted that Dave Chappelle somehow always seems to deliver standout monologues during particularly chaotic cultural moments.
He also singled out Rick Moranis as one of his all-time favorites, celebrating the sheer absurdity of Moranis’ hosting style. Rather than delivering a traditional monologue, Moranis wandered around the studio playing guitar solos, operating cameras, ironing costumes backstage, and even delivering a baby before casually returning to the stage to introduce the show.
Black also highlighted another landmark monologue: Tom Hanks’ fifth time hosting SNL, which introduced the now-famous “Five-Timers Club.” Before that appearance, the concept simply didn’t exist in the show’s mythology. But once Hanks and Steve Martin turned repeated hosting gigs into a mock-exclusive club complete with robes and jackets, it became one of SNL’s most enduring traditions.
Still, when it came time to choose the best monologue of all, Black went with Norm Macdonald’s brutally honest return to SNL after being fired from the show years earlier. The monologue immediately became legendary because Macdonald openly addressed his dismissal from NBC, repeatedly joking that he hadn’t become funnier but the show had simply gotten worse.
For Black, Macdonald’s genius came from his willingness to say exactly the thing most comedians would avoid. “He had this gift of like, ‘What’s the worst thing I can say?’” Black explained. “And he would go there.”
In Black’s eyes, that combination of danger and comedy is what elevated it above every other monologue in SNL history. He simply had to choose Macdonald because the former cast member makes Black laugh harder than anyone else.
The episode closes with Black reflecting on what hosting SNL still means to him personally. The experience traces all the way back to watching John Belushi dominate the show during his childhood.
Black called it both unfathomable and a blessing that he's been able to be a part of Saturday Night Live's 50-year history. And that appreciation made him the perfect guide for an episode centered around one of SNL’s most important traditions.
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