The cold open to the latest episode of Saturday Night Live is being called “legendary” by fans as it featured an almost neverending stream of famous faces.
Martin Short hosted the special Christmas edition of the show, marking the fifth time the Only Murders in the Building star has hosted SNL.
The 74-year-old actor now joins a prestigious list of celebrities to have hosted the show five times, many of whom appeared in the star-studded cold open.
The show began with Oscar winner Tom Hanks, wearing a robe with a number five on it, joking that he created the exclusive SNL 5 Timers Club in 1990 as “an ingeniously lazy way to avoid writing a monologue. It has grown into one of the most exclusive clubs in our industry.”
Hanks is then joined by Ant-Man actor Paul Rudd and then Martin Short.
Short is then introduced to the other members of the club who include Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin (who had a number 17 on his jacket), Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Emma Stone and John Mulaney.
Although he didn’t feature, Short did find time to roast his friend and co-star Steve Martin, when Hanks told him that they were serving a cocktail called “The Marty-tini”.
“You know, it’s often paired with our Steve Martini, but tonight, we are serving it solo,” Hanks said. “And I bet it’s even better on its own,” Short replied.
Jimmy Fallon, who has not hosted SNL five times, also makes a cameo at the end as a jacket boy, telling Short: “I just want to say I am so happy to be here for this moment, so I would like to present to you the official Five Timer’s Club jacket in exactly your size — a women’s small.”
A chaotic scene then follows, as Short struggles to get into the jacket. Eventually, he decides to wrap it around himself instead and says: “From the bottom of my heart, I just want to say, I love most of you so much. And live from New York, it’s Saturday night.”
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SNL fans have been quick to heap praise on the sketch.
On YouTube, one viewer said: “This may be one of the best cold opens in SNL history!”
A second fan added: “Man the people walking in the room keeps getting better and better! What a moment! The fact that they are some of THE best and iconic hosts that graced SNL! I love it so much!”
A third person wrote: “This has to be one of the most legendary cold opens ever. It so cool seeing previous hosts and cast members that span over 50 years do sketches together.”
The cold open also featured cameos from current cast members Bowen Yang and Colin Jost, the latter of which would later be put in a very awkward position in front of his wife, Scarlett Johansson.
During the “Weekend Update” co-anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che did their annual “joke exchange” on their segment.
The tradition often involves both men finding new ways to embarrass the other as they force themselves to read jokes their comedy partner has written, which they have never read before.
However, nearly all of Jost’s jokes were about his wife, who was listening backstage, with cameras capturing her stunned live reaction.
