Carey Mulligan had a family reunion of sorts when her husband Marcus Mumford made a surprise appearance during her monologue for her Saturday Night Live hosting debut.
The 35-year-old actress joked that someone told her she was the first English person to host the show, ‘couldn’t possibly be true,’ when the lead singer of Mumford & Sons called out from the audience.
He tried to get her attention with the acoustic guitar that he just happened to have handy.
Interrupted: Carey Mulligan, 35, made her debut hosting Saturday Night Live this weekend, but her husband Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons threatened to derail her monologue
‘Sorry, I thought you were giving me the signal,’ he said, clarifying that it was, ‘Our secret couple signal for “please play the guitar.”‘
Carey spat back, ‘I’m alarmed that you think that we have that. Come on, you’re being that guy who takes his acoustic guitar out at a party.’
‘People love that guy!’ he replied.
Eventually he just strummed his guitar while she finished her monologue.
Miscommunication: ‘Sorry, I thought you were giving me the signal,’ he said, clarifying that it was, ‘Our secret couple signal for “please play the guitar”‘
Whoops: Carey spat back, ‘I’m alarmed that you think that we have that. Come on, you’re being that guy who takes his acoustic guitar out at a party’
Carey is currently flying high following her Oscar nomination for her critically acclaimed revenge thriller Promising Young Woman.
Joining her to hold down musical duties was rapper Kid Cudi, who performed two songs from his most recent album, Man On The Moon III: The Chosen, which was released in December.
The opening sketch for the evening featured Ego Nwodim, Kenan Thompson, Kate McKinnon and Alex Moffat as anchors at a Minnesota news station, presumably located in the Twin Cities.
The hosts awkwardly brought up the trial of fired police officer Derek Chauvin, who is accused of killing George Floyd over the summer after he put his knee on his neck for more than nine minutes.
Everyone initially seemed in agreement about the trial, but they found some awkward comedy when it turned out that the Black anchors wouldn’t be surprised if Chauvin was acquitted, while the white anchors were certain he would go to prison.
‘Let’s just say, we’ve seen this movie before,’ Ego said dispiritedly.
Topical: The opening sketch for the evening featured Ego Nwodim, Kenan Thompson, Kate McKinnon and Alex Moffat as anchors at a Minnesota news station discussing the trial of fired police officer Derek Chauvin
Toss up: Everyone initially seemed in agreement about the trial, but they found some awkward comedy when it turned out that the white anchors were certain he would go to prison
Not holding out hope: ‘Let’s just say, we’ve seen this movie before,’ Ego said dispiritedly
Kenan was back again for the first sketch after the monologue as ‘half-vaccinated host Elliott Pants,’ who led a recurring fictional gameshow called What’s Wrong With This Picture?
The three contestants had to look at an illustration with a single bizarre element and point it out, but the contestants (Chris Redd, Aidy Bryant, and Mulligan) didn’t seem to have a clue.
After the host showed a drawing of a woman holding her newborn baby in the hospital with a doctor standing next to her in the room — which had a clock with letters instead of numbers on the wall — Aidy’s character guessed, ‘Her husband is bald and way too small.’
Another image showed kids eating a pizza at a table with a milk glass on it where the liquid was at the top of the glass, instead of the bottom.
‘That pizza’s leftover from a porn set, but good for them from not wasting it,’ Aidy guessed again to the host’s frustration.
Spot the mistake: Kenan was back again for the first sketch after the monologue as ‘half-vaccinated host Elliott Pants,’ who led a recurring fictional gameshow called What’s Wrong With This Picture?
Not quite: He showed a drawing of a woman in a hospital room holding a newborn baby while a clock on the wall had letters instead of numbers on it: Aidy Bryant’s character guessed, ‘Her husband is bald and way too small’
Not very impressive: Carey almost got one right, but that was they closest they came
Carey was back again in the next clip, a pre-taped segment that turned out to be an add for a fake irritable bowel syndrome treatment.
Carey played a woman who was embarrassed to miss part of her daughter’s school play, but as she headed to the bathroom another parent passed her a sample of the medicine, Tremfalta.
She felt better immediately, but the medicine wasn’t fast enough to help with her pressing business.
After she returned to her seat looking relieved, Kenan appeared as a janitor and cried out after opening the bathroom door, interrupting the kids’ play.
Aidy played a principal and joined him in checking out the horrible bathroom scene, which was blessedly not shown.
Ouch: Carey was back again in the next clip, a pre-taped segment that turned out to be an add for a fake irritable bowel syndrome treatment
Horror show: Kenan played a janitor who screamed and interrupted a children’s play after seeing the mess she left behind in the bathroom
‘Stop the concert!’ she shouted in the middle of the event. ‘Kids, I’m sorry. Someone has done something very, very bad in the bathroom. Something very disrespectful. Who did this filth?’
Carey sank into her seat and leaned over to her husband to whisper, ‘Shut the f*** up.’
While the commercial announcer tried to list the medicines side effects in the narration, it kept being interrupted by Kenan’s janitor shouting about the feces-filled washroom.
Awkward: ‘Stop the concert!’ the principal shouted. ‘Kids, I’m sorry. Someone has done something very, very bad in the bathroom. Something very disrespectful. Who did this filth?’
Zip ya lips: Carey sank into her seat and leaned over to her husband to whisper, ‘Shut the f*** up’
The acclaimed actress returned in the next live-action segment as Krissy, a teenage girl visiting a boy named Josh (played by Kate McKinnon in drag) to work on a school project.
After they finished she wanted to hang out together in his room for a bit, which set the nerd into a frenzy, so he called his fellow nerd friend Jason (Aidy Bryant, also in drag) for some advice.
‘I won’t say her name in case she can hear me, but I will give you a clue: she is the Beyoncé of our science class,’ he said over the phone even though Krissy was right next to him.
He struggled with embarrassment as his obviously inexperienced friend gave him terrible advice.
Tense: The acclaimed actress returned in the next live-action segment as Krissy, a teenage girl visiting a boy named Josh (played by Kate McKinnon in drag) to work on a school project
Phone a friend: After they finished she wanted to hang out together in his room for a bit, which set the nerd into a frenzy, so he called his fellow nerd friend Jason (Aidy Bryant, also in drag) for some advice
Afterward was a pre-taped musical sketch starring Chris Redd, Pete Davidson and musical guest Kid Cudi.
They listed all the essentials for a big-time rapper, but added, ‘the only thing missing is that weird little flute.’
The video poked fun at classic rap song, like Jay-Z’s Big Pimpin’, which feature a prominent flute accompaniment.
Timothée Chalamet even made a surprise appearance in the video when Pete rapped, ‘Timmy Chalamet loves a weird little flute.’
Next up was Kid Cudi’s performance of his song Tequila Shots, from his album Man On The Moon III: The Chosen.
He appeared on a mostly empty stage with a minimalist performance featuring lasers pointed down toward the stage that created a fake curtain surrounding him.
Strong trio: Afterward was a pre-taped musical sketch starring Chris Redd, Pete Davidson and musical guest Kid Cudi
Special appearance: They listed all the essentials for a big-time rapper, but added, ‘the only thing missing is that weird little flute’
Star power: Timothée Chalamet even made a surprise appearance in the video when Pete rapped, ‘Timmy Chalamet loves a weird little flute’
Rap icon: Next up was Kid Cudi’s performance of his song Tequila Shots, from his album Man On The Moon III: The Chosen
Weekend Update featured guest appearances from former President Barack Obama (Redd) and Bruce Springsteen (Beck Bennett) to talk about their podcast Renegades.
Despite them being beloved and cultured figures, it turned out they couldn’t riff to save their lives.
Springsteen’s biggest contribution was to say he liked Sprite, which seemed to tickle Obama.
Weekend Update featured guest appearances from former President Barack Obama (Redd) and Bruce Springsteen (Beck Bennett) to talk about their podcast Renegades
Lame: Despite them being beloved and cultured figures, it turned out they couldn’t riff to save their lives. Springsteen’s biggest contribution was to say he liked Sprite
Later, Bowen Yang made a bizarre appearance in a white speckled suit with a powder blue sweater and a fake block of ice on his head to play the iceberg that sunk the Titanic.
Naturally, Colin Jost wanted to talk about the hundreds of people who died following the collision, but the iceberg wasn’t there for that.
‘These are not the questions we discussed!’ Yang said, before revealing he only wanted to talk about the new album he just recorded.
When the Weekend Update hosts signed off, Michael Che made a tribute to the late rapper DMX by shouting, ‘I’m Earl Simmons!’ which was his given name.
Surprise appearance: Later, Bowen Yang made a bizarre appearance in a white speckled suit with a powder blue sweater and a fake block of ice on his head to play the iceberg that sunk the Titanic
Sticking to the script: ‘These are not the questions we discussed!’ Yang said, before revealing he only wanted to talk about the new album he just recorded
After the break, most of the cast was assembled for a Star Trek–like sci-fi series in which a spaceship was in danger of falling into a black hole.
Carey played a young crew member who was clearly new to her job and nowhere near as mature as the rest.
After she was belittled for suggesting they try ‘unplugging’ the ship and ‘plugging it back in,’ she was shouted down.
‘I’m sorry I’m such a big dumb idiot,’ she cried out before running off the bridge.
Ego Nwodim played a crew member who theorized that Carey and her friend (Mikey Day) were ‘rich white kids who for the first time are experiencing a world that doesn’t revolve around them.’
Even as everyone on the ship faced a swift death, Mikey and Carey though it was a good time to complain about how she was yelled at.
After they dismissed her complaints, Carey cried out, ‘Stop gaslighting me!’
Eventually the captain (Beck Bennett) got so fed up that he had the annoying crew members shot out the airlock into space.
Snowflake: After the break, most of the cast was assembled for a Star Trek–like sci-fi series in which a spaceship was in danger of falling into a black hole
Bad timing: Carey played a crew member who made a dumb suggestion, then kept interrupting to get an apology even as they faced possible death
Carey took the lead in the next pre-taped sketch, a parody of period lesbian dramas.
The film, titled Lesbian Period Drama, was described by a narrator as ‘another film that isn’t afraid to ask, “Will these lesbians be lesbians together?”‘
She added, ‘Starring two straight actresses who dared not to wear makeup,’ as Carey and Heidi Gardner stared blankly at each other.
Kate McKinnon also made an appearance as the lesbian ex of one of the lesbians.
On the mark: Carey took the lead in the next pre-taped sketch, a parody of period lesbian dramas. The film, titled Lesbian Period Drama, was described by a narrator as ‘another film that isn’t afraid to ask, “Will these lesbians be lesbians together?”‘
Spot on: She added, ‘Starring two straight actresses who dared not to wear makeup,’ as Carey and Heidi Gardner stared blankly at each other. Kate McKinnon also made an appearance as the lesbian ex of one of the lesbians
Mikey Day and Carey led a two-person sketch next, which starred him as a soldier writing back to his wife from the battlefield during World War II.
He wrote her long, moving letters, but she replied with braindead one-word responses and terrible jokes.
Things went off the rails when she started replying by sending him vials of cocaine and admitted that she had hung out with Nazis recently.
Letter from home: Mikey Day and Carey led a two-person sketch next, which starred him as a soldier writing back to his wife from the battlefield during World War II
Failure to communicate: He wrote her long, moving letters, but she replied with braindead one-word responses and terrible jokes
Odd choice: Next up, Kid Cudi gave his second performance of the night with his song Sad People. He wore a floral-print dress without any explanation
Next up, Kid Cudi gave his second performance of the night with his song Sad People.
He wore a floral-print dress without any explanation, and he was the only one on stage, which was covered in a thick layer of smoke.
The final sketch of the evening featured new cast member Andrew Dismukes with Kyle Mooney, Ego Nwodim and Heidi Gardner.
They were teens with an after-school rap club who spouted some unimpressive bars until two maturely dressed women (Carey and Aidy Bryant interrupted).
Word smiths: The final sketch of the evening featured new cast member Andrew Dismukes with Kyle Mooney, Ego Nwodim and Heidi Gardner as teens at an after-school rap club
Old school: Carey and Aidy Bryant appeared as maturely dressed women who pretended to be kids, before revealing they were salespeople for L’Eggs pantyhose, which the kids didn’t care about
They tried to play it cool and pretended they were kids, even though they thought everyone was nine rather than 15.
But it turned out they had infiltrated the group just to sell L’eggs pantyhose, even though the teens had no interest in it.
Aidy gave a slide show to talk up pantyhose, which she said was popular in the 1980s and ’90s.
‘But then came the nightmare whore trends of the early 2000s. Xtina and Ms. Spears wore raw legs and toe rings,’ she complained.
Miraculously, she managed to talk all the kids into being pro pantyhose.
Downfall: Aidy gave a slide show to talk up pantyhose, which was popular in the ’80s and ’80s. ‘But then came the nightmare whore trends of the early 2000s. Xtina and Ms. Spears wore raw legs and toe rings’
