On 'SNL,' Colman Domingo makes hosting debut with cool vibe and plenty of laughs
If it feels like Colman Domingo is everywhere, you’re not wrong. At a screening for the recent hit film “Project Hail Mary,” I clocked the Oscar-nominated actor in not one, but two trailers: for the upcoming biopic “Michael,” playing the pop star’s father, Joe Jackson, and for Steven Spielberg‘s sci-fi thriller “Disclosure Day.”The Oscar-nominated actor might even be overdue for hosting “Saturday Night Live” for the first time. In addition to all his movie and TV-show acting, he has sketch comedy experience, having spent two seasons on Logo TV’s “The Big Gay Sketch Show” almost 20 years ago.Given that, and his versatility on screen, you might think Domingo would be a natural fit for “SNL.” And you’d be right: in sketch after sketch, even in a couple that weren’t particularly great, Domingo was solidly in the groove, staying focused but loose throughout the show. Whether he played a fashion school teacher giving sassy descriptions of a crime suspect on a live news broadcast, someone who cuts hair and gives sex advice at a Black barbershop for white men, a pimp at a funeral, or an astronaut trying to record a sincere video diary, Colman hit all the right beats.He also did well with some of the more esoteric material, like a silly take on the “Dead Poets Society” free-spirited teacher trope, a science show featuring a host who keeps making people dress up as part of the set design, and an “Animorphs” parody, “Beastomorphs,” in which Domingo played a space alien villain.Add to that a very entertaining monologue and Colman proved to be an ideal host. So what could go wrong? In the goodbyes, it sounded like Colman was about to share something very sincere, starting by saying the night was about, “All the little boys in the inner cities” before he was abruptly cut off as the broadcast ended, both on local broadcasts and on Peacock (the full clip was later shared on social media). This has happened more than once this season; there’s got to be a better way to make sure there’s enough time for the host to sign off and for the credits and hugs.Musical guest Anitta performed “Choka Choka” and “Várias Quejas.”This week’s cold open brought back James Austin Johnson’s impression of President Trump, this time in a series of phone calls after a brief social media dictation to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt (Ashley Padilla). After assuring her that posting “Praise be to Allah” online would be no big deal, he noted as she walked off that Padilla has played two of the three characters he recently fired, Pam Bondi and Kristi Noem. “Interesting detail,” he noted. Trump called up Tiger Woods (Kenan Thompson) to check up on the golfer, but mostly to make a pun on “DUI.” Melania Trump (Chloe Fineman) called asking if it was all right to give a “big random speech completely out of nowhere and say I am not an Epstein victim.” Also on her agenda: saying she didn’t help the Gilgo Beach serial killer or party with Diddy. But it was all a prelude to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (Colin Jost) giving an update on the war with Iran. Trump revealed sending Vice President JD Vance to negotiate was a tactic to prolong the conflict. “After 20 hours (with Vance), they’re ready to be bombed some more,” he said. Hegseth wrapped it up with their take on Limp Bizkit’s “Nookie,” but with lyrics about taking Iran’s oil to stick it in our cars. “$7 a gallon, Hegseth out!” the Defense secretary concluded.Domingo didn’t miss a beat on his monologue, starting by acknowledging that he’s been on so many TV shows, from “Fear the Walking Dead” to “Euphoria” to “The Four Seasons,” and movies, like his Oscar-nominated turn in “Sing Sing,” that people think he’s their uncle. He shifted to doing something he says he’s great at: setting spectacular vibes when you visit his home. So for the show, he set the mood by asking for lighting for people of color and jamming to sexy music. He brought out Jeremy Culhane, who also benefited from a boom shot, a high-angled camera that made the 56-year-old actor and the cast member look even better. Domingo took to the crowd to chat with a woman invited by a writer on the show (“Don’t tell people that,” he advised) and a couple making out. Indeed, the sexy, welcoming vibe was achieved.Best sketch of the night: Instead of therapy, get a haircut you won’t dare complain aboutWhite men have problems, according to testimonials of men in this commercial parody. They are going through divorces, having trouble connecting with their spouses or dealing with their kids’ private school tuition. But why go to therapy when there are Black barbershops ready to give them a fresh start as an alternative to mental health help. We get a glimpse of Uneek Kutz, a Black barbershop where Domingo, Thompson and Kam Patterson play barbers giving unexpected sex advice and disturbing nicknames like Dahmer to white men who need the confidence boost. Also, the barbers have them debate who they’d prefer: Gina (Tisha Campbell) or Pam (Tichina Arnold) from the sitcom “Martin.” (The answer is Pam, but the debate should continue.)Also good: Don’t be caught dead on the streets wearing ‘boho derogatory’A bank robbery in the Fashion District leads a Spectrum News report in which professor of couture D’artagnan Meringue (Domingo) and his fashion design students speak to a reporter (Padilla) about the suspect they saw as witnesses. Domingo nails it as the cutting teacher who has choice words about the robber’s style choices while his students offer their own insults. That’s a fine premise but additional small touches made the sketch, including Jane Wickline as a normie student who doesn’t fit in (“You are not cut out for this! Go to a normal college!” Meringue yells at her), and the dean of the fashion school (Mikey Day) who keeps walking in front of the shot to offer bon mots to the robber like “Unalive yourself!”Wickline played a Gen Z sex expert who doesn’t actually seem to know anything about sex in an “Update” segment, but it was Patterson and Hernández as two kids from the back of the bus who got more laughs. The two were brought on to discuss rising inflation, but except for one instance where they spoke lucidly on the topic, they were mostly there to bug Jost with several “deez nutz” jokes before the “Update” co-host fired back with one of his own. The two did a nice job portraying teenagers who go back and forth from sincere to ridiculously immature, but the best part was their horror when Jost fired back.
