May 18, 2013

May 18, 2013 Season 38 episode


Episode	745
Season Episode	21
Host	Ben Affleck
Musical Guest(s)	Kanye West
Song(s) performed by Musical Guest(s)	"Black Skinhead" "New Slaves"

Previous Episode
May 11, 2013

Next Episode
September 28, 2013
(Season 39)

The 745th episode and the season finale of Season 38 of Saturday Night Live, hosted by actor Ben Affleck, with rapper, singer and songwriter Kanye West as the musical guest, who performed "Black Skinhead" and "New Slaves". It premiered on May 18, 2013. This is Ben Affleck's 5th time as host, and Kanye West’s 5th musical guest appearance, thus making both of them five-timers on SNL.

This marks the final episode for longtime cast members: Fred Armisen (a cast member since 2002), as he left the show after 11 years, Bill Hader (a cast member since 2005), as he left the show after eight years and Jason Sudeikis (a cast member since 2005; after previously joining the writing staff in 2003), as he left the show after nine years in the cast, and 10 years overall with the show. This would be also the last episode for first-year featured player Tim Robinson, as he would be let go after only one season, but would join the writers' room the next season.

Ben Affleck previously hosted SNL on the following dates: On February 19, 2000, the thirteenth episode of SNL's 25th season, with musical guest Fiona Apple, on March 13, 2004, the fifteenth episode of SNL's 29th season, with musical guests N.E.R.D., on October 2, 2004, the Season 30 premiere, with musical guest Nelly, and on November 1, 2008, the seventh episode of SNL's 34th season, with musical guest David Cook.

Kanye West previously made his 4th musical guest appearances on SNL on the following dates: On October 1, 2005, the Season 31 premiere, hosted by actor and comedian Steve Carell, star of the NBC hit series The Office; which coincidentally, was the first episode for now-departing cast member Bill Hader, on September 29, 2007, the Season 33 premiere, hosted by professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA) LeBron James, on December 13, 2008, the eleventh episode and Christmas show of SNL's 34th season, hosted by English actor and comedian Hugh Laurie, and on October 2, 2010, the second episode of SNL's 36th season, hosted by actor and Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston.

Ben Affleck's goodnights speech is "Thanks so much! Thanks to Kanye West. This incredible crew. Thank you to my incredible wife — Jennifer Garner! Amy Poehler. Carrie Brownstein. Kim Gordon. Steve Jones. Aimee Mann. J Mascis. Michael Penn. And this incredible cast, assembled here at “Saturday Night Live”. Thank you all — It’s an honor and a privilege". (Cheers and applause)

Cast[]

Repertory Players[]

Featured Players[]

Cameos by Affleck's then-wife Jennifer Garner, former longtime cast member Amy Poehler, Carrie Brownstein, Kim Gordon, Steve Jones, Aimee Mann, J. Mascis, and Michael Penn

Filmed cameo by Anderson Cooper

Sketches and Music Performances[]

Title	Image	Summary
Politics Nation (Cold Opening)		Rev. Al Sharpton (Kenan Thompson) is skeptical that the IRS is unfairly targeting the tax records of Tea Party members (Bill Hader and Jason Sudeikis), and equally skeptical that he’s lost weight if he’s still huge.
Opening Montage		Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis, and Tim Robinson's final time being credited as cast members.
Monologue by Ben Affleck		Returning to host SNL for the fifth time, actor Ben Affleck’s entrance into the Five-Timers Club passes quietly because all the honored celebrities were just here for Justin Timberlake. Instead, he sets the record straight on his Oscar acceptance speech and asks his then-wife Jennifer Garner to back up his comments.
HBO First Look		Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Fred Armisen) stars as Ben Affleck in his own “Argo” retaliation film.
Xanax for Gay Summer Weddings		Heterosexual guests are only able to make it through the over-the-top proceedings at a gay summer wedding if they’re heavily medicated with the new Xanax product.
Depression Scene		In Depression-era 1930’s New York, homeless dirtbag Edward Bing (Bill Hader) has lofty aspirations when a businessman (Ben Affleck) offers his a menial labor job.
Gay Camp		The New Beginnings Summer Camp staff (Ben Affleck, Taran Killam) not only have trouble turning their gay campers (Kenan Thompson, Bobby Moynihan, Vanessa Bayer, Jay Pharoah and Aidy Bryant) straight, they also have issues staying heterosexual themselves
Kanye West performs “Black Skinhead”.
Weekend Update with Seth Meyers		Incredulous Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler say “Really!?!” to the IRS & groups it scrutinizes; Seth Meyers stops Stefon (Bill Hader) from wedding Anderson Cooper a la The Graduate; recurring Weekend Update guests (Cecily Strong, Nasim Pedrad, Kenan Thompson, Kate McKinnon, Vanessa Bayer, Bobby Moynihan and Jason Sudeikis) welcome Seth & Stefon back to the studio. Done as a sendoff to Hader, as he left after this episode.
Greg's Funeral		At a funeral, a conspicuously familiar-looking "uncle" (Ben Affleck) is the only one to defend the departed, the much-despised Greg. The funeral turns into a gang-up session on Greg when his "uncle" reveals a surprise. Also features Taran Killam as son, Kate McKinnon as Becky, Nasim Pedrad as the mother, Jay Pharoah as the mourner, Tim Robinson as Jim, Cecily Strong as Helen and Jason Sudeikis as eulogist.
Hermès Handbags		Vacuous ex-porn stars Brookie (Vanessa Bayer) and her friend (Cecily Strong) submit a commercial for free Hermes handbags, with the help of former porn actor Girth Brooks (Ben Affleck).
Kanye West performs “New Slaves”.
Cop Family		At her engagement party, a woman (Nasim Pedrad)’s cop relatives keep emotions in check. This marked Tim Robinson's final appearance on SNL as a cast member.
Top of the Pops		Ian Rubbish (Fred Armisen) & The Bizzaros (Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis, Taran Killam) perform “It’s A Lovely Day”; Carrie Brownstein, Steve Jones, Kim Gordon, Aimee Mann, J. Mascis, and Michael Penn join Ian onstage. This marked the final SNL sketch appearances of Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, and Jason Sudeikis as cast members. Made as a sendoff to Fred Armisen.
Goodnights and Closing Credits		Ben Affleck thanked Kanye West, his then-wife Jennifer Garner, Amy Poehler, Kim Gordon, Steve Jones, Aimee Mann, J. Mascis, Michael Penn, Lorne Michaels and the cast assembled here at Saturday Night Live. Also, the cast, crew and everyone say goodbye to the longtime departing cast members Fred Armisen and Bill Hader, since this is their final SNL show (Jason Sudeikis' departure was not announced at the time of the finale).

Notes/Trivia[]

This was also the final episode for longtime writer Jim Downey (who had been with the show on-and-off since 1977, during the show's second season), as Downey decided to retire from the show after 30 non-consecutive years.
- Downey is the longest-tenured writer in the show's history.
This was the last episode of the Sixth generation of SNL, which had spanned since about 2006, due to the departures of Hader, Armisen, and Sudeikis, as well as the eventual departure of Seth Meyers in the middle of the next season. As well, as Kristen Wiig and Andy Samberg's departures the previous year.
- The next generation of cast would begin the next season, with 6 new cast members added (with 2 more being added midway through the season; with 3 of them being longtime cast members), as well as McKinnon, Bryant, and Strong becoming Repertory the next season.
This is also the 5th and last appearance of The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started A Conversation With At A Party, until Strong's character return to Weekend Update for the Season 40 premiere on September 27, 2014, hosted by actor Chris Pratt, with musical guest Ariana Grande.
This is the 9th and final appearance of Jean K. Jean.
This is the 5th and final appearance of The Devil.

Preceded by: May 11, 2013	Saturday Night Live episode	Followed by: September 28, 2013 (Season 39)