The worst thing “Saturday Night Live” could have done on an episode featuring rising character actor Walton Goggins, who was hosting for the first time, was play it safe.
Though many new fans may know him from his recent turn on Season 3 of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” Goggins has spent a career playing misfits, weirdos and southern charmers including on shows like “Justified” and “The Righteous Gemstones,” which recently wrapped its fourth and final season.
Smartly, this week’s “SNL” was calibrated to both sides of Goggins; he’s an excellent dramatic actor even when he’s doing comedy, and he’s good at playing ridiculous characters such as Uncle Baby Billy on “Gemstones.”
Following a President Trump-themed cold open that included the welcome return of Cecily Strong as newly appointed U.S Atty. Jeanine Pirro, Goggins appeared as a very horny waiter at a Mother’s Day brunch, a Second Amendment-pushing Founding Father named Matt and a man with very small feet in a Jane Wickline musical number. They were each strong sketches with great turns by Goggins.
He was also an actor in a play performing for an audience of 20 service dogs undergoing training, a pre-taped sketch about a boss (Goggins) and his wife (Sarah Sherman) who have peculiar pooping habits, and one about a horror-themed restaurant whose waitstaff (Bowen Yang and Ego Nwodim) struggle to make it feel scary.
Goggins was consistently funny and solid throughout, even if he stumbled on a few lines early in the show. His commitment to the bits was strong and it was a good appearance overall; he’ll likely be back. And maybe he’ll bring his “White Lotus” co-star Sam Rockwell with him again — he appeared briefly in the tiny feet video.
Speaking of oddball energy, musical guests Arcade Fire performed “Pink Elephant” and “Year of the Snake.” On the latter, lead singer Win Butler tried unsuccessfully to smash his guitar, then held it up for the audience to see the words “The Machine is Broken” on it. He broke a guitar on “SNL” back in 2007.
In this week’s cold open, it looked like the show would continue its tradition of Mother’s Day openings featuring cast members’ real moms. But that conceit was punctured quickly with yet another monologue by James Austin Johnson as Trump. This week’s riff touched on Pope Leo from Chicago (“Like Da Bears, but Da Prayers”) and Christianity in general. Trump praised the Popemobile as his favorite mobile next to Weiner and Bat, but revealed his disdain for holy water. “Why’s that stuff burn so bad when it hits your skin?” he asked. The cold open took off when Cecily Strong showed up as Pirro, armed with a wine holder she called a “Cozy for my Merlotzy.” Pirro was pleased to join an administration full of “Russian assets, booze hounds and people famous for the little baby animals they’ve killed.” Colin Jost appeared as embattled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who kept getting red wine spit on him by Pirro. Before the third time, he handed her a pint of his preferred liquor and opened his mouth to get some of the alcohol he says he doesn’t drink.
Some “SNL” hosts use the monologue to show off their singing skills. Goggins used it to address what it’s like to be a sex symbol at 53 (“It feels fantastic!”) but pointed to unflattering headlines that have accompanied all the attention, including Cosmopolitan’s, “Are We All Horny for Walton Goggins’s Receding Hairline?” Goggins shifted gears to talk about being raised by a single mom, aunts and a grandmother in Atlanta. He invited his mom, who was in the audience, up on stage to dance with him. When a slow Al Green tune turned into a more fast-paced and impressive dance number , it became a moment of pure joy.
Best sketch of the night: Be careful asking about the ‘bottomless’ mimosas
The Goggins gift for playing characters who are both sleazy and incredibly alluring was on full display in this Mother’s Day sketch about a brunch that gets very, very dirty. Sherman and Heidi Gardner are moms dining out with their sons (Mikey Day and Andrew Dismukes). Goggins, with many shirt buttons undone, is a libidinous waiter who takes his flirting with the mothers to extremes. “Just cuz your momma baked you don’t mean other men don’t wanna see the oven,” he says as he admonishes the sons when they protest his behavior. Goggins has a lot of fun in this one and delivers some very funny lines.
Also good: This trip to the zoo even has a Sam Rockwell cameo
For those who are suckers for clever and original songs, it’s been fun this season to watch new cast member Jane Wickline make her mark, mostly in “Weekend Update” appearances. This time, she takes the spotlight in a music video about a tiny baby shoe found in the Central Park Zoo. It turns out the shoe belongs not to a cute baby, but to a full-grown man with little feet (Goggins). The song takes a turn when the man insists they date. Wickline’s not having it. That’s when Rockwell appears as himself to mansplain the Cinderella conceit and to make balloon animals. Oh, and he’s got tiny feet as well. It’s a strange sketch, but the song is good and Wickline continues demonstrating that she brings something unique to the show.
‘Weekend Update’ winner: Hate spiders? You will relate
This week’s “Update” featured three guests: Marcello Hernández, who brought back his Movie Guy character to discuss “Sinners” and other movies he hasn’t seen; Gardner played a woman visiting New York who only knows what’s she’s read on Facebook about the city; and Mikey Day was a guy who just walked into a spiderweb but is there to talk about tariffs. Of the three, Day’s was perhaps the most impressive since these kinds of “Update” appearance are usually wordy monologues. Instead, Day got on his feet, began freaking out as he took off his shirt and fell over multiple times. It was a committed and funny piece of physical comedy, especially for the arachnophobic.
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