Jean Smart happens to like New York!
In her tight opening monologue to kick off Season 50 of Saturday Night Live, the multi-Emmy-winning veteran actress took aim at everyone and everything from recently indicted New York Mayor Eric Adams to the NBC late-night show she was hosting.
“It really is incredible to be here,” the Hacks star joked. “I haven’t gotten all dressed up and had hundreds of people clap for me in … days, honestly.” (Smart was, of course, referring to the Emmys, held September 15.)
She continued, poking fun at the late-night sketch series, “I remember watching the very first episode of SNL and thinking, ‘Someday, I’m gonna host that show.’ And this is the first Saturday that worked with my schedule.”
At this point, the pink-suit-clad Smart was presented with a grand piano and began to sing a love letter ditty to the host city, where she began her career in the entertainment industry in an “off-off-off-off-off-Broadway, Jersey actually” play in her 20s.
“I happen to like New York / I happen to like this town,” she lilted on the track, adding that she liked “the stink of it,” especially in the autumn, when “all the garbage on the street is finally changing colors, beautiful, beautiful.”
Speaking of New York City, the host threw a jab at its since-disgraced leader, saying off-handedly: “I saw Mayor Adams in the news! I didn’t read it, I’m sure it’s for something good!” (Adams was indicted by the FBI and charged for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bribery tied to illegal campaign contributions.)
In wrapping up her three-and-a-half minute-long set, she concluded, “I thought SNL stood for ‘Saturday Night Laughs,’ and then I watched the show and thought, ‘Well, that can’t be right,” making a “yikes” face in jest.
But Smart didn’t wrap up her monologue before acknowledging her place in popular culture, saying in part, “Lesbians are obsessed with me … at least I have options.”
