8:50pm PT
by
Katherine Schaffstall
Screenshot
Paul Rudd returned to Studio 8H on Saturday to host the season 44 finale of Saturday Night Live.
The actor kicked off his monologue by sharing that he was excited to host the season finale, which was the “most anticipated finale of the weekend” — a jab at Game of Thrones, which is set for a highly anticipated finale episode on Sunday.
After he shared that monologues should be both funny and heartwarming “like a best man’s speech at a wedding,” he requested a glass of champagne to make a toast.
He reflected on his first time hosting SNL. “I hadn’t done a Marvel movie yet, so I was still treating people pretty well,” he joked. “How times have changed.”
Rudd also looked back at his memorable “Kissing Family” sketches, in which his character kissed many other actors that appeared on the show. Talking about how the time has passed and things are different now, he joked, “SNL used to be a real dirty dog. I think a thousand people have been on you.”
He concluded the speech by remembering the first time he met Lorne Michaels, in which he joked that he told the show’s boss that he would one day be on the variety show.
“We’ve always been there for each other, whenever you needed a host and I needed to promote a movie,” the actor joked.
Saturday’s gig marks Rudd’s fourth time as the host of SNL.
#SNLFinale pic.twitter.com/lQn54e2H60
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) May 19, 2019
Katherine Schaffstall