Television
Woody Harrelson sparks COVID debate during ‘Saturday Night Live’ monologue
The actor talked about the “craziest script” he’s ever read while closing out his opening monologue.
Woody Harrelson’s return to ‘Saturday Night Live’, especially his opening monologue, is making headlines.
The 61-year-old hosted the show for the fifth time, meaning he’s now part of the Five-Timers Club, but it’s his comments while discussing the “craziest script” he’s ever read that are making waves.
What did Harrelson say?
During Harrelson’s opening monologue, he talked about smoking and sitting under a tree in Central Park while reading the “craziest script.”
“So the movie goes like this,” said Harrelson. “The biggest drug cartels in the world get together and buy up all the media and all the politicians and force all the people in the world to stay locked in their homes.
“And people can only come out if they take the cartel’s drugs and keep taking them over and over.
“I threw the script away. I mean, who was going to believe that crazy idea? Being forced to do drugs? I do that voluntarily all day.”
Earlier in his monologue, Harrelson described himself as a “redneck hippie.”
“You know, the red in me thinks you should be allowed to own guns,” the actor said. “The blue in me thinks – squirt guns. So, I’m red and blue which makes purple. I’m purple.”
It isn’t the first time Harrelson has shared his thoughts on the COVID-19 pandemic known. In an interview with Vanity Fair he questioned the need for mask-wearing.
Was Harrelson’s monologue planned?
The monologue lasted over six minutes, which prompted comedian and podcast host Ashley Ray to question whether it was planned or delivered off the cuff.
“Rant makes it sound like he did it randomly without permission when this definitely sounds like a thing that was written and on cue cards,” she wrote.
During the pandemic, ‘Saturday Night Live’ filmed the quarantined season from inside the cast member’s homes, while several members opted to film their opening credits sequence with a mask when the show returned to 30 Rock.
Tom Hanks hosted one of the episode’s during the pandemic and coined it ‘SNL at Home’, which Harrelson made reference to several times during his appearance.