Benedict Cumberbatch's SNL Monologue Included A Jab At Will Smith
"Saturday Night Live" has been on the air for over 40 years, and in that time has had hundreds of hosts to lead the show. Getting asked to host the comedy sketch show is typically seen as an honor and is a sure sign that you've "made it" in Hollywood. Hosts have the tough job of opening the show with a monologue, which typically includes jokes about current pop culture and news topics, not to mention performing in most of the night's sketches. Some "SNL" hosts excel at the job, like Kim Kardashian who surprised viewers with her jabs at herself, family, and Kanye West. Other "SNL" hosts bomb the gig and are never asked to return to the stage again (anyone remember Elon Musk's cringe-worthy go at it?).
Oftentimes, hosts come on the show when they have a big project to promote. For example, the May 7 episode saw Benedict Cumberbatch as host whose latest Marvel blockbuster, "Dr. Strange: Multiverse of Madness," just released in theaters. This marks the actor's second time hosting "SNL" and this time, he said he knows "a little bit more of what to expect," per NBC. The actor certainly came prepared, and in his opening monologue, Cumberbatch took the opportunity to poke fun at one of the year's biggest pop culture moments to occur so far.
Benedict Cumberbatch says he was 'beat' by Will Smith
To coincide with the release of "Dr. Strange: Multiverse of Madness," the film's star Benedict Cumberbatch took to the "SNL" stage for his second go at hosting. In his opening monologue, Cumberbatch said that the "SNL" sketch writers primarily pitched "Dr. Strange" sketches, to which he pointed out that he has been in other films. He mentioned that he was recently nominated for his role in "The Power of the Dog," but apparently "nobody saw it," according to "SNL" creator Lorne Michaels. Then, Cumberbatch couldn't help but to make a jab at the slap heard 'round the world, a.k.a. the Will Smith and Chris Rock incident at the 2022 Academy Awards. Cumberbatch joked that he lost out on the Best Actor award and said, "I didn't win. I was beat by Will Smith... not physically! Not physically." He then goes on to give sweet, and funny, shoutouts to his mother and wife for Mother's Day before opening up the show.
Cumberbatch isn't the only one in Hollywood to joke about the Smith/Rock slap, despite the fact that it's been weeks since the Academy Awards. Days after the event, the incident became joke fodder for just about everyone in Hollywood. For one, Amy Schumer compared Smith to the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali. Rock himself even made light of the slap during a comedy show, per The Hollywood Reporter. Seems as though the slap is the comedy gift that keeps on giving.