Matt Damon got a quick start to his hosting duties on Saturday Night Live by first appearing in the episode’s cold open.
The Good Will Hunting actor kicked the episode off by portraying Brett Kavanaugh, an associate justice of the Supreme Court, alongside Colin Jost as Pete Hegseth. The two Trump-backed officials met up at a bar where they agreed that they “are both kicking ass right now.”
“Can you believe I just like started a war?” Jost’s Hegseth asked. “Can you believe I ended abortion? Your body, my choice,” Damon’s Kavanaugh said.
The two discussed the ongoing Iran war, however Damon quipped that “the real war right now is the war against male loneliness.”
“I just wish there were more people in this administration who could really hang,” he added, to which Aziz Ansari joined to make a surprise cameo once more as Kash Patel, the director of the FBI, after popping up during last week’s episode.
“Does this bar take cash?” Ansari joked. “So, what’s up? Are we wilding out tonight, or what?”
Ansari’s Patel continued to rave about their festivities, adding, “Seriously, we’re all living the American dream. I’m the first person in my family to go to college parties many years after graduating.”
The faux Supreme Court justice then let his buddies in on a big secret. “Hey, since we’re opening up, can I tell you guys something top secret, brother?” he asked, before revealing, “We’re gonna let Trump do a third term.”
“I thought that was unconstitutional,” Jost’s Hegseth said.
“Yeah, it was,” Damone said. “But Trump found the original Constitution and at the end he wrote, ‘Sike!’”
Damon joined the three-timers club on Saturday night, marking his (you guessed it) third time hosting the sketch comedy series. It was also his first time on SNL in a little over seven years; he previously hosted in December 2018, and made his debut in October 2002.
The Academy Award winner is gearing up for a starring turn in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which hits theaters this summer on July 17. During his opening monologue, he joked about the length of time between his SNL stint and the debut of the new film.
“I’m really excited because I have a new movie coming out. It’s called The Odyssey,” he said. “And it’s in theaters not this weekend, not next weekend, but nine weekends from now. Mid-July, baby.”
Damon also addressed that his hosting gig took place on the day before Mother’s Day. “I know normally SNL flies all the cast moms in for the show, first class, no expense spared. Apparently that was gonna happen again this year, but then Spirit Airlines shut down. So for all of you waiting to see the cast moms, I’m sorry, it ain’t happening tonight.”
He also delivered a special message for all the viewers who “didn’t get your mother a gift.”
“Hey there, it’s me, Matt Damon. I bet you thought your kid forgot to get you a Mother’s Day gift. No, this is your gift, a personal message from me,” Damon said. “But wait, I’m confused. Your kid asked me to make a video for their mom… But you’re their sister, right?”
Season 51 of SNL is nearing its end, with Damon serving as the second-to-last host for the installment with musical guest Noah Kahan. Will Ferrell will host the finale show, alongside Paul McCartney. Just last week, Olivia Rodrigo made her hosting debut, and also pulled double duty as the episode’s musical talent as well.
More to come.
