Why Has John C. Reilly Only Hosted ‘Saturday Night Live’ Once?
The once-elite John C. Reilly only got to host once? And why was that nine long years ago?
It’s not like Reilly is shy about doing comedy. I saw Tim & Eric bring their live show to little ol’ Madison, Wisconsin just a couple of years ago, and you can guess who jumped on stage for the encore, thrilling the masses with 20 minutes of unhinged Dr. Steve Brule. That’s Reilly, apparently hoofing it from town to town on the Tim & Eric tour bus, all in the service of goofy-ass laughs.
Look, we get how Saturday Night Live works. HBO wants to pump up The Last of Us, so Pedro Pascal gets the nod this weekend. Last week, it was Lizzo flat-out destroyed. The point being: Performers don’t have to be in a movie opening next week to bring them on board.
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And if we really have to play that game? Fine! Reilly was a blast as Dr. Jerry Buss in last year’s Winning Time on HBO, and Season Two is coming in 2023. Boom. Opportunity. The guy shows up in four to five projects a year, so we’re sure we can find one that could use a little SNL juice.
The best argument for more JCR on SNL? It’s his work on the show. Pairing him with Forte as an Olympic swimming coach? Inspired.
How about this bonkers bit as an actor committed to reenacting historical racism?
And we can’t get enough Harpoon Man. Any of these three sketches would be a contender for the absolute best of Season 48, and they’re all from the same show.
So come on, Lorne. We’re pretty sure Reilly is still in the old-timey Rolodex you keep next to the popcorn machine. With a good handful of shows left in 2023, pick up the phone and make the call. We all know who would make a fantastic addition to SNL’s Two-Timers Club. Even Rudy Giuliani hosted once for Christ’s sake.
