Hosting "Saturday Night Live" is a massive career milestone, but it also comes with intense pressure to deliver laughs on live TV alongside the funniest in the business.
Ahead of the sketch comedy staple's 50th anniversary, three Canadian stars 鈥� Tom Green, Pamela Anderson and Jason Priestley 鈥� reflect on their time as guest hosts.
TOM GREEN TAKES A BATH WITH LORNE MICHAELS
Green remembers feeling overwhelmed when he was asked to host "SNL" on Nov. 18, 2000. It was just months after the absurdist Ottawa comic underwent surgery for testicular cancer, and he was still in considerable pain.
鈥淚 was dealing with a lot happening at once 鈥� physically, emotionally, just life changes," he says.
"And then to be thrust into that kind of environment, I didn't really know how to navigate it.鈥�
He told Lorne Michaels it would be 鈥渁 dream come true鈥� if his longtime friends and 鈥淭he Tom Green Show鈥� collaborators 鈥� co-hosts Glenn Humplik and Phil Giroux, and writer Derek Harvie 鈥� could also work on the episode.
鈥淗e said, 鈥淵eah, you know, we鈥檙e all Canadian.鈥� So he gave us a little office鈥�. We came up with some really weird and funny ideas. Lorne Michaels was super cool and let us do it.鈥�
The episode broke the usual "SNL" format to give audiences the full, unhinged Tom Green experience. In one sketch, Green sat in a bathtub across from a deadpan Michaels, making nonsensical noises while fiddling with rubber ducks. In another, he and Will Ferrell, donning eagle costumes, climbed over audience members and made out. A 鈥渓ive wedding鈥� to his then-fianc茅 Drew Barrymore was teased, only for the comedian to have a teary meltdown after getting stood up at the altar.
Green has read 鈥渂itter comments鈥� over the years from viewers upset he was given so much creative control.
鈥淚f anybody has a problem with it, they need to understand these things were made under the context of me being a wide-eyed, naive kid from Canada who had literally just been thrust into this thing. I couldn't believe I was going to do this, and was like, 鈥楲et's try to make this the craziest episode ever!鈥欌��
PAMELA ANDERSON FED OFF THE AUDIENCE
Coming off the heels of her critically panned 1996 action film 鈥淏arbed Wire,鈥� Anderson got a rare chance to flex her funny bone as 鈥淪NL鈥� host on April 19, 1997.
鈥淭his is quite a departure for me to be on 鈥楽aturday Night Live鈥� doing this comedy thing, after having committed myself for so long to serious drama,鈥� she quipped during her opening monologue, before disrobing in a mock attempt to calm her nerves.
Looking back now, the B.C.-born actress says 鈥渋t was one of the best things I've ever done and the most fun I've ever had.鈥�
鈥淚 love that era of 'SNL,' so I was really fortunate that I got to do that. I mean, you never know, maybe I鈥檒l do it again.鈥�
A standout moment for Anderson is her sketch with the Roxbury Guys 鈥� Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan鈥檚 recurring, head-bobbing partygoers. After literally bumping into her at the club, the oblivious pair continue invading her space at the gym, sauna and jacuzzi as she desperately tries to escape their misplaced confidence.
She recalls feeding off the live energy of the crowd.
鈥淭he audience is part of it. They鈥檙e a character in it. There鈥檚 nothing like it, that kind of energy. I just think 'SNL' is very unique, and it'll be on forever.鈥�
Anderson will get to tap into her comedic side again when she stars opposite Liam Neeson in the 鈥淭he Naked Gun鈥� reboot, helmed by 鈥淪NL鈥� alum and The Lonely Island member Akiva Schaffer.
The actress says she鈥檚 been inspired by Michaels鈥� 鈥渢enacity鈥� over the years.
鈥淚t just shows that you have to have a vision for yourself. It's those rebel moves that define your life. Don't let other people define you. It's not what happens to you. It's what you do that defines you.鈥�
JASON PRIESTLEY WAS 'TOO TERRIFIED' TO BREAK CHARACTER
Jason Priestley recalls feeling surprised by the 鈥減ressure cooker鈥� pace of the week leading up to 鈥淪NL,鈥� which he hosted on Feb. 15, 1992. There were long days of table reads, followed by long nights of partying.
鈥淚 was 23, running around in New York City. I was definitely burning the candle at both ends.鈥�
Priestley, who starred on 鈥淏everly Hills, 90210" at the time, says his "SNL" episode was one of the first to feature a star from a teen drama.
The Vancouver-born actor says it was no coincidence Scottish rockers Teenage Fanclub were booked as the musical guest, adding that the band's name was "a tip of the hat" to the episode catering to a younger demographic.
鈥淟orne and the staff were super smart," says Priestley, whose show was considered the defining high school drama of the '90s.
Priestley recalls connecting with Michaels over their shared heritage: 鈥淟orne is a very proud Canadian, as am I, so we definitely bonded over that. And then we also bonded over the Heineken he keeps in the mini fridge in his office.鈥�
But he says the "SNL" creator wasn鈥檛 afraid to act like a CEO when he needed to.
鈥淗is advice to me was very similar to the things that ('902010' creator) Aaron Spelling used to say to me, which was generally, 鈥楧on't eff this up, kid.鈥欌��
Among his favourite skits were a cold open that saw him play an accident-prone Olympic figure skater, and 鈥淟ove Werks,鈥� a dating show hosted by Mike Myers鈥� German intellectual character Dieter, in which disaffected contestants 鈥� including cast member Phil Hartman in drag 鈥� compete for Priestley鈥檚 love. The episode went smoothly, with Priestley never cracking.
鈥淚 was too terrified to laugh,鈥� he says.
Although things went well, he says the appearance didn鈥檛 really open other doors for him.
鈥淓verybody still thought I was that kid from that teenage show. I had no right to be there,鈥� he cackles.
But it did lead to his 鈥�90210鈥� co-stars Luke Perry and Shannen Doherty hosting 鈥淪NL鈥� the following year.
鈥淪o obviously the kid from that show did OK because they invited two more kids from that show.鈥�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 13, 2025.
Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press
