# Hugh Laurie to host SNL on October 28 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 5, 2006, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374 "2006-10-05T12:55:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/1 "2006-10-05T12:55:58Z")
If they waste his vast, vast comedic talents, I will be very sad. Then again, I’m speaking as someone who never watches SNL anymore…I’ll tune in for this episode because I love A Bit of Fry & Laurie, Jeeves and Wooster, and the various Blackadder incarnations that damn much. (I also remember how Mark McKinney lost all his funny when he became an SNL cast member, so I’m not holding my breath that they’ll use Laurie for anything but insipid House parodies.) ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/2 "2006-10-05T13:51:55Z")
Oh I totally have to watch this. I don’t even remember the last time I watched SNL…but October 28 will be spent in the apartment with a six pack fo sho. Hugh Laurie is hilarious and hot, but hopefully they will give him some good sketches. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/3 "2006-10-05T14:10:38Z")
Hopefully some of those mopes will listen closely and attentively to someone who is a master of comedic timing and come away better for it. ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/4 "2006-10-05T14:24:19Z")
Thanks for letting us know! I am also someone who hasn’t watched SNL since Phil Hartman died, but I will give it a shot to see Hugh speak in his “fake” British accent! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/5 "2006-10-05T14:43:44Z")
[QUOTE=Cluricaun] Hopefully some of those mopes will listen closely and attentively to someone who is a master of comedic timing and come away better for it. [/QUOTE] The problems with SNL are a lot more than just the actors’ timing. But I’ll watch it for Hugh Laurie. They should take a scene from _House_, leave the dialog untouched, all the other characters play it straight and Hugh plays it like Prince George from _Blackadder_. That could work. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/6 "2006-10-05T14:48:07Z")
Man, this is AMAZING. Methinks Hugh will leave the SNL cast in the dust with his comedic timing and brilliance. But maybe some will rub off? Since they’re booking awesome British comedic talent, they need to get on the phone and call Sascha Baron Cohen as well… ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/7 "2006-10-05T15:53:57Z")
Thanks for the heads up, as SNL is completely off my radar lo, these last 10-15 years or so. ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/8 "2006-10-05T16:19:27Z")
I’m pre-ordering bells now and will certainly have them on for this episode. Granted, I’d be there with bells on to watch Hugh Laurie watch paint dry. _swoon_ ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/9 "2006-10-05T16:23:40Z")
I’m looking forward to it, too, but I’m not getting my hopes up too much. It’s not like he’ll be bringing a team of writers with him or have more than a week to work on material. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/10 "2006-10-05T16:30:25Z")
Wouldn’t a Steven Fry or Rowan Atkinson (even a Tony Robinson) surprise guest appearance be the coolest thing SNL’s done in decades? ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/11 "2006-10-05T16:35:12Z")
I never watch SNL anymore, mostly because I work Saturday nights but also because it sucks. Iit would be nice if some talent rubbed off on the cast but I worry that the black hole of suck that is SNL will make Hugh look bad. [sub]This is the second postin a row where I’ve mentioned black holes, must think of some new term for a large dense sucky thing.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mycroft\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_H)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/12 "2006-10-05T16:43:06Z")
Thanks for the notice. Drat! we’re hosting a Halloween party that night and the VCR will be used for kid’s movies. I’ll have to get someone to record it for me. **Robot Arm** and **Saltire** , your suggestions are great! Of course, I have no hope that the SNL writers will do anything as good, but it should still be worth watching. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/13 "2006-10-05T16:45:24Z")
Y’all should watch this week. Jaime Presley is hosting. If there’s a funnier woman on TV right now, I don’t know about it. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/14 "2006-10-05T16:46:12Z")
[QUOTE=duality72] It’s not like he’ll be bringing a team of writers with him or have more than a week to work on material. [/QUOTE] Do guest hosts ever write their own material, or bring their own writers with them? (Did Conan O’Brien, when he guest-hosted? Does Steve Martin?) > [@](#): > > **Christopher Walken** : Hi.. I-I.. wanted to know.. I wanted to know how much of the show is scripted.. and how much of it is.. crazy make-em-ups.. and.. you know.. ad libs.. improvs? > > **Tom Hanks** : A legitimate question. Contrary to popular belief, the show is not improvised. SNL has a great staff of writers who craft every line of the show. > > **Christopher Walken** : Really? Because.. when I host.. I just say.. whatever I want. I free-associate.. and I make up the skits and bits right there.. and.. people seem to enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/15 "2006-10-05T17:29:18Z")
[QUOTE=Saltire] Wouldn’t a Steven Fry or Rowan Atkinson (even a Tony Robinson) surprise guest appearance be the coolest thing SNL’s done in decades? [/QUOTE] This is definitely way too cool of an idea for SNL to even think of it. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/16 "2006-10-05T17:30:16Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] …must think of some new term for a large dense sucky thing. [/QUOTE] How about “large, dense, sucky thing”? Sorry; **Saltire** ’s mention of Tony Robinson has put me into Baldrick mode. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/17 "2006-10-05T17:37:51Z")
I hope the use your idea, **Hippy Hollow** , SBC hosting would be too cool. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/18 "2006-10-05T19:13:58Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] …must think of some new term for a large dense sucky thing. [/QUOTE] How about “Larry, the Cable Guy”? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/19 "2006-10-05T20:06:14Z")
[QUOTE=Saltire] Wouldn’t a Steven Fry or Rowan Atkinson (even a Tony Robinson) surprise guest appearance be the coolest thing SNL’s done in decades? [/QUOTE] That plan is so funny you could put a tail on it and call it a platypus. Unfortunately, SNL stink so badly that you could put a tail on it and call it a rotten dead skunk with body odor. How’s that for a guy who watched Blackadder for the first time last night? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2006, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374/20 "2006-10-29T00:29:10Z")
[QUOTE=Robot Arm] The problems with SNL are a lot more than just the actors’ timing. But I’ll watch it for Hugh Laurie. They should take a scene from _House_, leave the dialog untouched, all the other characters play it straight and Hugh plays it like Prince George from _Blackadder_. That could work. [/QUOTE] Even better: Prince _Ludwig_ “Wun da dawm diagnowstics!” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hugh-laurie-to-host-snl-on-october-28/375374.md?page=2)