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Jan. 23 (UPI) — Will Forte joked that Saturday Night Live was just saving the best for last by waiting to invite him to guest host for the first time, 12 years after he left as a cast member.
In his monologue, Forte pointed out his former co-stars Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, Fred Armisen and Jason Sudeikis had all returned to host before him.
“I’m not bitter about it. I’m not!” he laughed. “Save the best for last. Save the best for WAY last. After 12 long years, tonight is finally my turn. My time to shine. Tonight is about me.”
Right on cue, Wiig popped up behind him.
“Not a good time,” Forte told her. “Good to see you. Bye-bye.”
After she left, SNL producer Lorne Michaels and actor Willem Dafoe appeared to tell Forte that Dafoe was actually supposed to host the episode and not him.
“I’m so sorry, Will. There’s been a mistake,” Michaels said with Dafoe standing next to him.
“Willem Dafoe? You’re hosting next week!” Forte exclaimed.
“I’m pretty sure it’s this week,” Dafoe replied.
“You think I would book someone named Will and then someone named Willem?” Michaels said. “I texted Willem and, you know, autocorrect.”
Forte’s suggestion that the fans decide who should host backfired when it revealed 40% of those polled wanted Dafoe, 40 percent wanted Wiig, 10 percent wanted the episode’s musical guest Maneskin, 5 percent wanted him and 5 percent wanted the show abandoned so Tom Hanks could save it.
“Oh, my God! 5 percent? I guess people do love me!” Forte said.
Wiig and Forte later appeared together in a MacGruber sketch and reprised their roles of country music stars Clancy T. Bachleratt and Jackie Snad’s for another bit.