It’s been a very long year.
“When Chance the Rapper made his hosting debut on Saturday Night Live on Saturday, November 17, the show tapped his musical talents from the very start. (The Grammy-winning rapper was a musical guest on the show in December 2016, and joined Kanye West when he was a musical guest earlier that year.) He channeled Mariah Carey to sing an original Thanksgiving song about spending the holiday with your weird relatives as part of his opening monologue.
But his best musical turn in the episode came when cast members Kenan Thompson and Chris Redd joined him to play a Boyz II Men-style R&B group, singing a love song that could only have been written in 2017.
Clad in white tuxedos, the trio appeals to a lost love, whom they think about at night while staring forlornly at a framed photograph: “Every night I turn the TV on and cry,” they sing. “I say why / I feel we’re all gonna die!”
This time of year, I get thankful
thankful for you, baby
But now you’re gone
And I don’t know what to do
I see you moving on.
And I beg you to come back home.
Every night
I turn the TV on and cry
I say why
I feel like we're all going to die
Come back Barrack
I need you in my life
So come back Barrack
We didn't know just what we had
Like really bad
Like World War bad
The change I want is you
I'm in hell
Dreaming about you and Michelle
Why would you leave us
Becasue you had to
Because of the Constitution
I guess we stuck with this dude for awhile
You enjoy your retirement, homie
2020 is looking sad
Like super sad
Come back Barack
I don't think the three of us have the firmest grasp on government
But Happy Thanksgiving, everybody...
It was an auspicious debut at hosting SNL for the young rap artist, who showed a flair for comedy and skit acting that I am sure will earn him a return invite and bodes well for his future screen career.
His monologue and turkey day song were fun also… as were all of his contributions.
We can all use a laugh about now….
In deference to some raw feelings inflamed by current events I’ll omit the “Porn Pizza” Sketch...