New York City is a very different place 35 years since we last saw Mr. Robinson
On the last “SNL” of 2019, Eddie Murphy hosted for the first time since he left the show in 1984, and he brought back all of his classic characters for the party. Among them was his Mr. Rogers parody, Mr. Robinson, who showed up to teach boys and girls about the blight of gentrification.
In the (genuinely hilarious) sketch, we learn very quickly that the city Mr. Robinson lives in has changed dramatically in the 35 years since we last saw him.
“I was gone for a bit but now I’m alright. My neighbors were all black but now they white,” Murphy’s Mr. Robinson sang to illustrate how different things are. “The check cashing place turned into a bank, elevator works and the stairs they don’t stank. White people came, and changed everything, but I am still your neighbor.”
Mr. Robinson then set out to explain what gentrification is. “It’s like a magic trick,” he said. “White people pay a lot of money and then poof! All the black people are gone.”
Unlike the wrecked urban wasteland Robinson lived in back in the 80s, his neighborhood is now an extremely “fancy” place. Robinson explained that he was only able to continue living because of “Squatter’s Rights,” which he said is “like finders keepers, but for other people’s houses.”
At that point, he received a visit from his new neighbors, Damon and Mika (Mikey Day and Heidi Gardner). “They paid $1.2 million for an apartment where Mr. Robinson’s friend Frankie used to cook crack,” Robinson explained. Of course, Damon and Mika weren’t there for social reasons, but to accuse Mr. Robinson of stealing their television.
“Don’t worry boys and girls, Mr. Robinson knows just what to say in situations like this,” he said. Then turning to Damon and Mika, he yelled: “Oh you think I stole your TV ’cause I’m black!”
That did the trick, and Damon and Mika left, awkwardly asking Mr. Robinson to attend their holiday party on the way out.
But of course, as it turns out, Mr. Robinson did steal their TV, which he used to display the word that best describes his new neighbors — “Racist.”
The sketch ended when Mr. Robinson was confronted by someone who claimed to be his son, so he snuck out the window.
Watch the whole clip below:
'SNL' 5-Timers Club: Most Frequent Hosts, From Alec Baldwin to Will Ferrell (Photos)
In the world of sketch comedy, there is no fraternity more prestigious than the “Saturday Night Live Five-Timers Club.” Those who have proven their worthiness by hosting “SNL” five times are invited into an elite circle, where they don luxurious satin robes, smoke expensive cigars and, for their entertainment, watch current cast members fight to the death.
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Alec Baldwin – 17
Not counting his many guest appearances to play guys like Donald Trump, Baldwin has hosted 16 times, passing Steve Martin’s record in 2011. Martin was there that night to demand a surprise drug test.
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Steve Martin – 15
The esteemed president of the Five-Timers Club was also the fastest to get to that milestone, hosting his fifth less than two years after hosting his first. In total, Martin has hosted fifteen times, most recently in 2009.
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John Goodman – 13
Goodman ranks third on the all-time “SNL” hosting list with 13 episodes, behind only Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.
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Buck Henry – 10
From 1976 to 1980, it was tradition for the “Heaven Can Wait” director to host the “SNL” season finale. In total, Henry hosted 10 episodes, including a Mardi Gras special.
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Tom Hanks – 9
Hanks’ fifth go-around as host in 1990 was what spawned the Five-Timers Club sketch. But now his most famous contribution to the series is definitely David S. Pumpkins.
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Chevy Chase – 8
The original anchor of “Weekend Update” hosted “SNL” eight times after being the first original cast member to leave in the middle of the show’s second season.
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Christopher Walken – 7
Walken was the first person to join the Five-Timers Club in the 21st Century after making his fifth appearance in May 2001.
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Drew Barrymore – 6
Though we haven’t seen her in a Five-Timers’ robe, her portrait is in the club’s luxurious quarters. She holds the record for youngest host ever, having appeared on the show at age 7 following the release of “E.T.” in 1982.
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Elliot Gould – 6
Gould hosted the show five times in the ’70s, but his sixth appearance was his last after being blindsided by the sudden departure of Lorne Michaels from the show in 1980.
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Danny DeVito – 6
Shortly after playing The Penguin in “Batman Returns,” DeVito joined the club with an “SNL” appearance in January 1993.
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Tina Fey – 6
Arguably the most famous “SNL” cast member among millennials, Tina Fey joined the Club in 2015 after a hosting career that included (and still includes) her famous Sarah Palin impression.
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Scarlett Johansson – 6
The actress made her fifth appearance in 2016, and kicked off her monologue by putting on a Five-Timers jacket handed to her by Kenan Thompson. (She hosted again with then-fiancé Colin Jost in December 2019.)
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Candice Bergen – 5
Bergen was the first woman to host “SNL” and hosted five times from 1975 to 1990.
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Bill Murray – 5
After starring on the show in Seasons 2-5, Murray returned to host five times in the ’80s and ’90s.
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Ben Affleck – 5
The man “SNL” once mocked for his film “Gigli” joined the Five-Timers club in 2013, shortly after winning the Best Picture Oscar for “Argo.”
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Justin Timberlake – 5
The pop star’s fifth appearance in 2013 saw “SNL” bring back the “Five-Timers” sketch, as Timberlake’s induction was celebrated with a brawl between cast members Bobby Moynihan and Taran Killam.
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Melissa McCarthy – 5
After a season of guest appearances as Donald Trump’s White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, McCarthy grabbed her Five-Timers jacket in Season 42.
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The Rock – 5
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson hosted the finale of the 42nd season of “SNL”
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Jonah Hill – 5
Hill’s five appearances as host spanned a decade, with the first coming in 2008 and the fifth on Nov. 3, 2018.
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Will Ferrell – 5
One of the most successful “SNL” alums of the ’90s, Ferrell joined the club on Nov. 23, 2019. Among his most famous “SNL” bits were his George W. Bush impression and his recurring role as Alex Trebek on “Celebrity Jeopardy.”
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Paul Simon – 4
Technically, Simon only hosted four times, but he’s been included in “Five-Timers Club” sketches since he was the musical guest on a fifth show. He also owns arguably the most emotional moment in the history of “SNL”: his performance of “The Boxer” in the cold open of the first post-9/11 episode.
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TheWrap looks back at those who’ve joined the most elite club in sketch comedy
In the world of sketch comedy, there is no fraternity more prestigious than the “Saturday Night Live Five-Timers Club.” Those who have proven their worthiness by hosting “SNL” five times are invited into an elite circle, where they don luxurious satin robes, smoke expensive cigars and, for their entertainment, watch current cast members fight to the death.
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