Kieran Culkin, star of HBO’s Succession, made his Saturday Night Live hosting debut over the weekend in an episode that featured surprise guest appearances from music legend Dionne Warwick and SNL alum Tracy Morgan.
While it was Culkin’s first hosting gig, the 39-year-old actor explained in his opening monologue that he actually made his SNL debut 30 years ago, when his older brother, Macaulay Culkin, hosted the show.
Kieran showed a clip of his younger self being hoisted into the air by then-cast member Kevin Nealon during the goodnights, and recreated that moment when current cast members Chris Redd and Kenan Thompson lifted him onto their shoulders at the end of Saturday’s show.
In the show’s cold open, Aaron Rodgers, played by Pete Davidson, was interviewed by Fox News’ Judge Jeanine Pirro — played by Cecily Strong — about his COVID-19 diagnosis. The sketch also saw the return of former President Donald Trump, played by new cast member James Austin Johnson, whose impression drew praise on social media.
Later, Ego Nwodim reprised her “Dionne Warwick Talk Show,” sketch, in which she portrays the legendary singer-turned-social media personality, who is confused by today’s music. The bit ended with an appearance from the Grammy-winning singer herself, who joined Nwodim for a snippet of her 1966 hit, “What the World Needs Now.”
Another popular sketch was about the awkward conversations guys have in the men’s room. Alex Moffat‘s character admitted that he “killed a man in 2012” and the bit ended with Tracy Morgan popping out of one of the stalls and warning them “not to go in there,” because “I dropped a bomb… and that man [pointing to Moffat] killed my brother.”
Musical guest Ed Sheeran performed “Shivers” and “Overpass Graffiti” from his new album, = (Equals).
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