Dana Carvey hosts this weekend's Saturday Night Live, marking his fourth appearance as host -- which ranks him third all-time for former cast members, 24 of whom have returned to host the show they once called home. And while you might think that having an alumnus host would automatically translate into a great show, hosting SNL is a completely different animal than being a cast member.
After all, being a cohesive part of the machine -- which generally translates into SNL stardom -- isn't necessarily the best attribute when forced front and center. So which SNL alum made the best host? Below, we rank each of the 23 erstwhile cast members who dared to return to the hallowed halls of Studio 8H in that capacity.
(Note: Billy Crystal and Michael McKean both hosted the show before they became cast members. Thus Crystal and McKean are not included in the ranking.)
24. Chevy Chase (most recently Feb 15, 1997)
Chase only appeared in 30 episodes as a cast member, but he holds the record for the most times hosting by a former cast member. Of course, that number would be a lot higher than eight if he wouldn't have been banned from hosting in 1997 for, basically, time and time again, being a total jerk. Some of the cast could tolerate him while he hosted, but very few liked him. The epitome of this came in 1985 when he suggested that openly gay cast member Terry Sweeney star in a sketch in which it's discovered that Sweeney has AIDS. Chase was a fantastic cast member; Chase was a terrible host.
23. Ben Stiller (Oct. 24, 1998)
His Tom Cruise impression during "Celebrity Jeopardy" was impressive, but it's not Stiller's hosting ability alone that ranks him so low on this list. Stiller was scheduled to host the second episode after 9/11 (Reese Witherspoon was the first), according to producer Marci Klein, but then canceled as host without warning. His publicist used the excuse of 9/11, but it was later discovered that the movie he was promoting, Zoolander, was moved up one week so Stiller no longer needed the publicity. Regardless of the reason, canceling at the last minute is a dick move. Obviously, there's not too big of a rift remaining between Stiller and Lorne Michaels; Stiller appeared during the Robert De Niro hosted episode of SNL just this season.
22. Don Novello (Jan. 14, 1984)
21. Damon Wayans (April 8, 1995)
Perhaps it wasn't completely Wayans' fault, considering that he was working with a train wreck of a cast -- a cast that was more than happy to let Wayans morph SNL into In Living Color. Nothing against In Living Color, but during the show they even did a (even by that time) pretty dated "Men on Film" sketch with David Allen Grier. It's surprising that Michaels let Wayans host in the first place; Wayans was fired from SNL for ad-libbing during sketches -- the cardinal sin on SNL.
20. Paul Shaffer (Jan 31, 1987)
Shaffer's monologue consisted of him singing a song. OK, fine, that's what Shaffer does. He also ended the night with a new version of "It's Been a Very Good Year" with updated lyrics for 1987. OK, yes, that's a bit much. Also, this show featured the Sweeney Sisters so, yes, more singing.
19. Dan Aykroyd (May 17, 2003)
Believe it or not, by choice, Aykroyd has hosted SNL only once. Now, Aykroyd is always a welcome guest star when he chooses to drop by, but his hosting duties featured a monologue that included a song-and-dance number with Jim Belushi. I understand the significance, but, still...
I'm under the firm belief that Rock is much better at stand-up than he is at sketch comedy. (Actually, he's probably the first to admit that.) Perhaps accordingly, his episode featured a decent bit of stand-up for his monologue and then three -- three! -- sketches featuring Norm MacDonald as Bob Dole.
17. Bill Murray (most recently Feb. 20, 1999)
Murray has not had the greatest run in any of his four times as host. Then again, he hasn't hosted since he became this new, aloof, Oscar-nominated version of Bill Murray. In 1981, Murray's first time hosting was the last show before half the cast was fired. Murray's most notable sketch as host was in 1999 when he and Chevy Chase teamed up on a Caddyshack inspired sketch. His best performance as a quasi-host was the 25th-anniversary episode, Murray sang Bruce Springsteen's "Badlands":
Lovitz is another guy who was part of that great late-'80s cast that had a lot of role players but no breakout star (Carvey would be the closest). It's surprising that Lovitz hosted anyway considering his fallout with Lorne Michaels on Dennis Miller's last show. Regardless, it featured the return of Tommy Flanagan and Norm MacDonald's always welcome David Letterman impression, but, nothing immensely memorable.
15. Phil Hartman (Nov. 23, 1996)
14. Molly Shannon (May 12, 2007)
Shannon's return to SNL was fun. Fairly predictable, but fun. Of course we were treated to the return of Mary Katherine Gallagher and Sally O'Malley who, this time, performed at the Sopranos' bar, the Bada Bing. Other than the return of those two characters, Shannon's episode was fairly uneventful.
13. Tracy Morgan (March 14, 2009)
The frantic opening of Morgan racing into the studio -- punching Tina Fey in the face -- left little doubt that he was pretty fired up for his return to SNL. And then it kind of fizzled. Perhaps it just goes with all of the attention that Morgan generates; the show was solid, but there weren't any classic Morgan faux pas. Honestly, that's a good thing: Morgan was on the show for seven years before he became "Tracy Morgan," so he knows what he's doing. And, hey, he brought back Brian Fellow and Astronaut Jones.
12. Amy Poehler (Sept. 25, 2010)
Poehler hosted the first show of this current season and, considering how great it was, it's hard to imagine that she won't be back. Interesting to note that this show was just fantastic, regardless if Poehler was involved or not -- her contribution to "Update" is a stark reminder to how good it can be with two anchors -- but this is also the show that included "Actor II Actor" with Justin Timberlake and "Mosque at Ground Zero."
11. Norm MacDonald (Oct. 23, 1999)
It's a shame that it's been over 11 years since MacDonald hosted. A little over a year-and-a-half after being fired from SNL, MacDonald returned with his now-famous Turd Ferguson/Burt Reynolds Jeopardy! impression and played a sarcastic Lou Gehrig who does not at all think that he's the luckiest man on the face of the Earth. And, of course, he delivered the best Larry King impression that's ever been done.
It doesn't seem that long ago that Dreyfus hosted her first show, opening her monologue with a discussion about the Seinfeld curse. That show also featured a sketch about a MySpace seminar... so, yeah. That was a while ago. Her second show opened with a monologue from Chris Rock (originally planned for "Update") and an always-welcome appearance from Vinny Vedecci.
9. Martin Short (Dec. 7, 1996)
Short co-hosted once before with his Three Amigos co-stars Chevy Chase and Steve Martin, but he's only hosted solo once -- and he was great. Which shouldn't be surprising considering his stage presence that eventually led to his own Broadway show. Short played Jerry Lewis on "Celebrity Jeopardy!" and joined the Roxbury fellas on their night out. Also, Ed Grimley with a cameo from Chase.
8. David Spade (most recently March 12, 2005)
Relegated to the sleazeball character on Rules of Engagement and some terrible recent movies, it's easy to forget the talent David Spade possesses. Both times he has hosted SNL he's seemed re-energized. (He's hinted at this before, claiming that no sitcom or movie set can match the adrenaline rush of SNL; it definitely shows.) His first hosting gig started with a cold open that marks the only time Brad Pitt has appeared on SNL; his second time was highlighted by a sketch in which he plays a movie star whose stunt double is a woman (Amy Poehler).
7. Will Ferrell (most recently May 16, 2009)
Here's the thing about Will Ferrell that's easy to forget: When he was in the SNL cast, he was the definition of a team player. Now he's known more for his outlandish characters, but on the show, Ferrell could play the straight man as easily as he could the wack job. As a two-time host, he brought his A-material that included "Celebrity Jeopardy!", George W. Bush, a Tom Hanks cameo and a haunting rendition of "Goodnight, Saigon."
6. Robert Downey Jr. (Nov. 16, 1996)
Here's why Ricky Gervais' Golden Globes joke about Downey was so lame: Downey himself has been making these same jokes as far back as his SNL hosting gig in 1996. It's about time Downey hosts again because in this format, as opposed to his time in the cast, he was excellent. Not to mention he was in one of the best sketches of that season: "Cobras," featuring Norm MacDonald as a gang leader who can't figure out why his gang is singing, a la West Side Story.
5. Dana Carvey (most recently Oct. 21, 2000)
Carvey is a great host, as he was a great host of his self-titled, short-lived prime-time sketch comedy show. But this comes with a caveat: you had better be ready for some recurring characters. The last time Carvey hosted, in 2000, he did Church Lady and Johnny Carson. This isn't even counting the monologue, during which he performed side by side with every one of his recurring characters.
4. Eddie Murphy (Dec 15, 1984)
Eddie Murphy hates Saturday Night Live. He was one of the few former cast members who didn't show up to the 25th anniversary show and, along with Dennis Miller, was the only person to not cooperate in Tom Shales' Live From New York oral history. A combination of being from an era that didn't include Lorne Michaels and not appreciating a joke made by David Spade during the second Lorne Michales' era, lowers the chances to about zero that we will ever see Murphy host SNL again. But, the one time that he did (he also hosted once as an emergency when he was part of the cast) provided one of the most memorable sketches of all time: Murphy made up in "white face" in "White Like Me."
3. Tina Fey (most recently April 10, 2010)
It's hard to remember now, but Tina Fey never really appeared in sketches as a cast member. Her duties were limited to head writer and "Weekend Update," so to see her in a sketch was very rare. Seeing how good she was as a now two-time host, it's almost a shame that she wasn't utilized more in sketches when she was actually a part of the cast. In her first show, Steve Martin stopped by and Fey made headlines for her "Update" monologue on Hillary Clinton. In her second show, she introduced the "Sarah Palin Network" and ate a boyfriend made out of brownies.
2. Chris Farley (Oct. 25, 1997)
Farley's only hosted SNL was less than two months before his death. It's almost hard to watch the cold open as Lorne Michaels contemplates not letting Farley host because of his addiction problems. That doesn't change the fact that the show was excellent, featuring Farley as Hank Williams Jr., Matt Foley and El Niño.
1. Mike Myers (March 22, 1997)
Myers almost single-handedly wins this on the strength of his monologue alone (and "Dieter" helps). Myers was in a hellacious career slump at the time he hosted, when he was promoting his comeback vehicle Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. Myers knew he had to kill on SNL to reintroduce himself... and he did just that. Myers' song-and-dance to begin the show is the stuff legends are made of. Plus! It produced the greatest line ever uttered from Tim Meadows, "Why did I sign a 30-year contract? That's such a long time. I see that nowww."
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