Will Ferrell Closes SNL Season 51 With 6th Hosting Turn as Paul McCartney, Chad Smith Join
Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · May 17
Will Ferrell Closes SNL Season 51 With 6th Hosting Turn as Paul McCartney, Chad Smith Join
13 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · May 17
Season 51 ended with Ferrell’s sixth time hosting since leaving the cast in 2002, anchoring sketches from a Chad Smith lookalike monologue to a fantasy spoof and a mechanic bit.
Paul McCartney appeared in the monologue and a sketch, then performed new song “Days We Left Behind,” “Band on the Run” and a surprise credits-time “Coming Up” encore with Smith on drums.
The finale also opened with Ferrell as Jeffrey Epstein’s ghost visiting James Austin Johnson’s Donald Trump, extending the episode’s mix of celebrity stunt casting and political satire.
Ferrell’s return capped a season focused on newer cast members including Ashley Padilla, Jeremy Culhane and Marcello Hernández, with the veteran host serving as a steady showcase for the ensemble.
Will Paul McCartney’s SNL performance feature the historic duet with Ringo Starr from his deeply nostalgic new album?
Will Will Ferrell’s SNL return preview the comedy of his new golf series, premiering in just two months?
With two Five-Timers on stage, is SNL's reliance on legacy stars a winning strategy or a sign of creative stagnation?