Actor Tom Hanks makes light of time in Australia, jokes about vegemite as host of Saturday Night Live

Tom Hanks appears on live TV from his kitchen in LA, attempting an Australian accent and joking about vegemite | WATCH

Tom Hanks delivers his monologue while hosting Saturday Night Live from his home in Los Angeles. Picture: AP

Actor Tom Hanks has hosted the first quarantine version of Saturday Night Live from his home after recovering from coronavirus in Australia.

The actor had a crack at the Australian accent and made jokes about Vegemite in his opening monologue.

“The folks in Australia are fantastic in every way but they use celsius instead of Fahrenheit,” Mr Hanks said.

“So they come in and say you’re 36,” he said as he made a valiant attempt at an Australian accent.

“But 38 is bad, so basically it’s how Hollywood treats female actors.”

Ladies and gentlemen, Tom Hanks! #SNLAtHome pic.twitter.com/jCmEnBjSzq

— Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) April 12, 2020

After being gone for more than a month, the NBC comedy institution returned to the air on the Easter weekend by emulating other late-night hosts who have abandoned studios and audiences for DIY merriment amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“It is good to be here, though it also very weird to be here hosting ‘Saturday Night Live’ at home,” Mr Hanks said, speaking from his kitchen.

“Why me as host?,” he said.

“Well for one, I have been the celebrity canary in the coal mine for the coronavirus.”

Hanks, in a close-cropped haircut he said was done for a movie, announced last month that he and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for the virus.

They recuperated while in Australia after testing positive to COVID-19 in March.

The world’s new way of keeping in contact – Zoom meetings – was ripe for satire.

The show’s “cold open” showed all cast members arrayed in an onscreen gallery familiar to many working from home.

“Live from Zoom,” Kate McKinnon said.

“It’s sometime between March and August.”

One skit featured a mock Zoom work meeting, where McKinnon and Aidy Bryant played a pair of inappropriate receptionists. Bryant was stopped just in time when she brought her laptop with her into the bathroom.

With Bernie Sanders dropping out of the Democratic primary race since the last time “SNL” was on, Larry David appeared from his easy chair to once again impersonate the Vermont senator.

“Don’t worry about me,” he said. “It’s spring in Vermont, so soon it will be up to 40 degrees. And I finally have the time to relax and finish that heart attack from October.”

The show kept to its traditional structure with a musical guest and “Weekend Update.” Martin, on acoustic guitar, played a version of Bob Dylan’s “Shelter From the Storm.”

Signs on the wall behind him said “Entrance to Trains,” a nod to the Grand Central Terminal-themed “SNL” set.

Alec Baldwin, portraying US President Donald Trump, called in to the “Weekend Update” segment, although without video since Baldwin didn’t have access to make up.

The faux president noted that “every night at 7pm all of New York claps and cheers for the great job I’m doing,” a reference to the nightly tribute to medical workers.

The show also touchingly paid tribute to music producer Hal Willner, who scored music for many years on “SNL” and died this past week after showing symptoms consistent with the coronavirus.

Past cast members Adam Sandler, Tina Fey and Bill Hader were among those who offered remembrances.

With AP