Every once in a while, the folks at Studio 8H book an SNL host who's note an actor and ends up nailing it and many of these examples include people who make music for a living. On other occasions, the artist serving as that night’s musical guest may make an appearance in a sketch or two to show the world that they can be funny, too. The following are some of our favorite examples of famous musicians we usually love to sing along to, but had as laughing along with them in a great SNL bit.
Single Ladies Video Shoot (Beyoncé)
In this fictionalized behind-the-scenes look at the legendary “Single Ladies” video, Beyoncé is shocked and annoyed by the director (host Paul Rudd) and his decision to make her back-up dancers three grown men who turn out to be his stepsons. This Season 34 favorite is actually a twofer that ended up happening because, as MTV News recalls, the former N*SYNCer convinced Queen B to participate in the sketch by showing up at her Studio 8H dressing room in the very leotard he wears alongside Andy Samberg and Bobby Moynihan.
SNL Digital Short: Jack Sparrow (Michael Bolton)
The music video for the fourth track off The Lonely Island’s sophomore album, Turtleneck & Chain, starts off as an unusually earnest effort for the trio. That is until their guest singer, Grammy-winner Michael Bolton, starts throwing in references to the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and later, other cinematic favorites like Forrest Gump and Scarface. For its masterful handling of a truly random idea and irresistibly catchy hook, “Jack Sparrow” is easily one of The Lonely Island’s best music videos and perhaps, some of Bolton’s all-time best work.
Africa Tourism (Adele)
For reasons that are never quite clear — perhaps Kate McKinnon’s accent or the sensuous ways she says “tribesman” — host Adele could not stop laughing while performing in a fake ad for African tourism. Nonetheless, the Oscar-winning, impeccable James Bond theme song (“Skyfall”) singer’s gigglish reaction — complete with a priceless cross-eyed gaze — is just what makes this Season 46 sketch so memorable.
The Old West (Elton John)
When Elton John hosted SNL during Season 36, he appeared as himself for most of the night, except for in one sketch that proved he can be as much a maestro with comedy as he can be with the keys. The Grammy-winner pokes fun at himself, too, by playing a flamboyantly dressed cowboy, who rides into a small western saloon on a unicorn.
Please Don't Destroy: Three Sad Virgins (Taylor Swift)
In one of Please Don’t Destroy’s most popular SNL bits, the guys are, at first, excited to collaborate with Pete Davidson until their music video becomes a roast at the trio’s expense. “Three Sad Virgins” only gets more “humiliating” when they reach the slowed-down bridge, courtesy of Taylor Swift, whom PDD never imagined would agree to star in the video in the first place.
Mick is Pointing, Pointing, Pointing at Himself (Mick Jagger)
In the early 2000s, when The Rolling Stones returned as musical guest, lead singer Mick Jagger starred in a sketch as himself opposite Jimmy Fallon as the artist’s reflection. The future Tonight Show host’s impersonation of the legendary rock star sitting across from him is so hilariously convincing that even Jagger can’t help but crack a smile.
Pippa Visits the Queen (Katy Perry)
It's surprising that Katy Perry hasn't hosted SNL more often — let alone acted in more things outside the Smurfs movies — given how well she demonstrated her comedic skills on the show in 2011. The grandest highlight is when she dons a Cockney accent to play Pippa Middleton in a sketch poking fun at the Royal Family.
Pandora Radio (Bruno Mars)
Admittedly, the concept of this sketch — in which a Pandora radio employee (played by host Bruno Mars) must sing like artists such as Justin Bieber and Michael Jackson when the website crashes — doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. But who cares? Watching the Grammy-winning hitmaker kill it with his spot-on musical impersonations is stunning.
Hotel Ad (Billie Eilish)
Both Billie Eilish — someone we’d love to see return to SNL as both host and musical guest — and her brother and bandmate, Finneas, star in this funny fake ad for a hotel that is a little too open about the alarming activity that takes place there. The Grammy and Oscar winner is very funny in the sketch but cannot stifle her laughter, which is understandable when Kate McKinnon is your scene partner.
The Barry Gibb Talk Show (Justin Timberlake)
We could not have picked a sketch featuring pop sensation-turned-master thespian Justin Timberlake — already one of the all-time greatest SNL hosts — without making sure Jimmy Fallon was also involved with it. Thus, it was easy to pick “The Barry Gibb Talk Show,” in which Fallon, as The Bee Gees’ lead vocalist, hosts a political discussion program featuring his most silent brother, Robin (Timberlake).
Stevie Wonder Impersonator (Stevie Wonder)
After demonstrating his own wonderful impersonation of Stevie Wonder, Eddie Murphy shared the stage with the musical genius himself in a classic sketch from 1983. The future Academy Award-nominated SNL star plays an expert in impersonations, who is asked to help improve the Stevie Wonder impression of a man played by Wonder himself.
Judge Barry (Chance The Rapper)
Having only appeared on SNL four times — twice as a host and twice as a musical guest, each for different episodes — Chance the Rapper has already proven himself to be worthy of the hosting hall of fame, especially with this courtroom sketch. Before Jason Momoa rips open his shirt and steals the show, the hip-hop artist is fantastic as a judge who bases his rulings only on first impressions.
Parole Board (Blake Shelton)
When appearing as host and musical guest during SNL’s 40th season, country music superstar Blake Shelton demonstrated surprisingly impressive acting chops. He was in a sketch that initially seems to recreate a classic scene from the great Stephen King movie The Shawshank Redemption. However, a parole board member played by the former Voice coach bluntly reveals that Kenan Thompson’s prisoner has committed an unforgivable offense that leaves him with very little chance of freedom.
Blizzard Man (Ludacris)
To give his new album an extra boost, Ludacris (as himself) brings in a fabled hip-hop artist known as the Blizzard Man (Andy Samberg), who, as it turns out, cannot rap and does not even bother to rhyme his aggressively lame lyrics. The veteran of the Fast and Furious movies later appears alongside T-Pain in another edition of this sketch that is only made funnier by the fact that Samberg is totally capable of dropping some sick rhymes.
Parents Call (Halsey)
In host and musical guest Halsey’s monologue for her Season 44 episode, she described herself as an SNL fanatic, and her performance throughout the show really proves it. The Sing 2 cast member’s admiration for the show is especially evident when she dons a comically exaggerated New Jersey accent as a woman having an awkward, revealing phone call with her son (played by Mikey Day) in this sketch.
SNL Digital Short: Shy Ronnie (Rihanna)
In SNL’s 35th season, musical guest Rihanna teamed up with The Lonely Island for the first time on a Digital Short starring Andy Samberg as the title character. The comic plays a man who is too nervous to rap… as long as the “Umbrella” singer is in the room. It garnered a sequel called, “Shy Ronnie 2: Ronnie & Clyde,” featuring Rihanna and Samberg dressed as Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway’s titular roles from 1967’s Bonne and Clyde.
Bond Casino Showdown (Tim McGraw)
We knew Tim McGraw could act from his roles in movies like The Blind Side and Country Strong, but never realized just how funny he could be when he hosted in Season 34. The hilarious peak of the 1883 cast member’s episode is a James Bond movies parody in which a vacationing redneck (McGraw) participates in a poker tournament with 007 (Bill Hader) and Le Chiffre (Fred Armisen).
SNL Digital Short: I'm On A Boat (T-Pain)
When Andy Samberg finds a winning ticket a boat ride for three in his cereal box, he invites fellow Lonely Islander Akiva Shaffer but skips over Jorma Taccone to select T-Pain. The rapper, famous for his use of auto-tune, is key to making the other ridiculous “I’m on a Boat” video a celebrated anthem for taking it easy while cruising through water.
The Train Poet (Johnny Cash)
One of the first musical artists to try their hand at acting as an SNL host was Johnny Cash, who actually only starred in three sketches from his Season 7 episode (two of which he never speaks in). Yet when the legendary “Man in Black” stars as a train passenger expressing his fond memories of his commute in a rhyming monologue, he really gives it all.
Rap Roundtable (Questlove)
In one of Questlove’s most notable cameos, The Roots drummer participates in a panel of hip-hop artists also including Queen Latifah (Pinkie Johnson) and two up-and-comers (Pete Davidson and Timothée Chalamet), who clearly don’t know anything about the genre. What really helps ease this almost terrible SNL sketch to something amazing is when the Academy Award-winning director of Summer of Soul puts an end to the young “rapper’s” mindless ramblings by striking them with his hair pick.
Wayne's World: Aerosmith (Aerosmith)
Many would agree that Wayne Campbell from “Wayne’s World” — which inspired one of the funniest SNL movies — is still one of Mike Myers’ best characters. But deciding on the recurring sketch’s peak moment is a bit trickier. Ultimately, we have to go with the time Aerosmith — with help from their roadie and Garth’s (Dana Carvey) cousin, Barry (one of Tom Hanks’ best SNL characters) — appeared on the no-budget cable access program and performed their own rendition of the theme song.
Punk Band Reunion At The Wedding (Dave Grohl)
Dave Grohl appears in a sketch or two nearly every time he and the Foo Fighters perform, but, arguably, his best SNL bit comes from when he played with Them Crooked Vultures — a supergroup he formed with Josh Homme and John Paul Jones. The former Nirvana drummer became a part of another band that night consisting of Fred Armisen, Bill Hader and host Ashton Kutcher in a sketch that sees aging punk rockers bring the house down at a wedding reception.
Spider-Man Kiss (Chris Martin)
In one of the most popular sketches on SNL’s YouTube Channel, a dramatized inside-look at the making of 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2 reveals that then-real-life-couple Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone (both playing themselves) had some trouble shooting their climactic kissing scene. The solution: bringing in Chris Martin — frontman of the night’s musical guest, Coldplay — to don a blonde wig and take Stone’s place.
Hamm & Bublé (Michael Bublé)
This SNL sketch prominently featuring the A-list host, Jon Hamm, is framed as an ad for a new eatery co-owned by the Mad Men cast member and musical guest, Michael Bublé, called Hamm and Bublé (pronounced “bubbly” by Hamm). However, as the Canadian crooner reveals in song, he thinks the restaurant’s concept — serving ham with champagne — is ridiculous and is being forced into the business against his will.
SNL Digital Short: Boombox (Julian Casablancas)
One of The Lonely Island’s most unique collaborations saw Julian Casablancas — lead singer of Manhattan-based rock band The Strokes — provide vocals for the hip-hop trio’s 2010 song, “Boombox.” The video, which premiered on SNL in Season 35, sees Andy Samberg and Casablancas attempting to rescue strangers from mundane scenarios with the power of music, only for us to discover by the ending that is was a “cautionary tale” all along.
Spelling Bee (Tenacious D)
In a sketch that was partially mprovised and conceived by SNL star Will Forte, a young spelling bee contestant’s attempt to spell the word “business” results in an astonishing failure — consisting of an innumerable amount of random letters spouted for more than a minute. Suddenly, host Jack Black appears with his Tenacious D bandmate, Kyle Gass, to perform a song revealing that the bit was inspired by an embarrassing moment from the School of Rock star’s childhood (which is not true, by the way).
Little Drummer Boy (Whitney Houston)
In one of Molly Shannon’s most iconic appearances as Mary Katherine Gallagher, the overly ambitious Catholic school student struggles to out-sing her rival choir member, who happens to be played by the night’s uber-talented musical guest, Whitney Houston. Shannon recalled to Howard Stern (via YouTube) how she was actually able to convince the initially reluctant Houston to appear in the bit by telling her she just had to act “snotty.”
Garth Brooks Backstage With Tracy (Garth Brooks)
The second time Garth Brooks hosted SNL, the musical guest was his own rock star alter ego, Chris Gaines — a bizarre concept that earned mixed reactions in the late ‘90s. The country singer showed he had sense of humor about it all by participating in a sketch taking place backstage with Tracy Morgan, who criticizes Gaines in front of Brooks, unaware that they are the same person.
Waking Up With Kimye: Apple Genius (Lady Gaga)
When Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were still married, SNL had a recurring sketch that starred Jay Pharaoh and Nasim Pedrad as the celebrity couple hosting their own morning talk show. One edition featured host Lady Gaga as an Apple Store employee who makes a cleverly self-effacing comment about the true intentions of people who “try too hard with their outfits.”
Wayne's World (Madonna)
In one of many of Wayne Campbell’s (Mike Myers) iconic interactions with famous musicians, the cable access program host recalls the time he shared a romantic encounter with none other than Madonna. Garth (Dana Carvey) gets to experience the memory first-hand in the pre-taped bit, which also features a random cameo by the late Prince.
Orchestra (Lizzo)
Lizzo is famous for three unique talents: playing the flute, twerking, and performing both acts at the same time. That simultaneous mastery is demonstrated beautifully in a sketch from her Season 47 episode in which she plays an orchestra hopeful who is unable to play the flout without twerking.
Gangnam Style (Psy)
In SNL’s Season 38 premiere, host Seth MacFarlane starred in a sketch as a Lids clerk who tries to cheer up his co-worker (played by Kenan Thompson) by summoning Psy to perform “Gangnam Style” at the push of a button. Bobby Moynihan plays the viral K-pop sensation for most of the segment until the man himself appears in a surprise cameo at the very end.
A great way for musicians to show that their talents stray behind song and dance is by acting on SNL, as seen in these sketches.
