Tom Hanks made a surprise appearance on “Saturday Night Live” in a sketch with host Jack Harlow that spoofed Hollywood’s portrayal of Southern culture.
Harlow, the Kentucky-born rapper who has become a hot ticket and a hearthrob as a hip hop musician, was featured in a sketch set in a hardscrabble AA meeting room populated by a group of stereotypically Southern characters engaging in a recovery meeting.
Harlow played a begrudging attendee who finally confesses during to the group that he’s always had an offbeat idea for a Pixar movie involving suitcases. As Harlow cheekily bared his sole, Tom Hanks burst into the room.
“Hi. I’m Tom H. I’m here to research a role and I may be an alcoholic,” Hanks said. (The actor who recently played Mr. Rogers in 2019’s “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” was noticeably wearing a dark-blue zip-up sweater.)
Harlow responds: “If you were a suitcase what would your catchphrase be?”
Hanks took a beat and replied with over-the-top enthusiasm, “Well, I guess it would be something like ‘That really snags my zippers.’ “
A few minutes after the sketch, Hanks introduced Harlow’s first musical performance of the night. Harlow performed his hit “First Class” in an outfit that recalled John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever.”
Later in the show, Hanks returned to Cell Block 666 and the haunted elevator as the beloved character David S. Pumpkins for “SNL’s” Halloween episode.
The “King of Halloween” returned with his dancing skeletons, played by Mikey Day and Bobby Moynihan, who also returned to the show as “Drunk Uncle” on Weekend Update. Moynihan is now in 10th place all-time in SNL sketch appearances (767), placing him between Will Ferrell (9th) and Amy Poehler (11th)
“If I pass out, film me and post it,” said Harlow as an excited elevator rider, who gets on the ride to view horrors set in an “iconic prison” with ride operator Kenan Thompson explaining they would see “horrors from the silver screen.” As the cells open and reveal characters Michael Myers, Pennywise and Annabelle, all three riders are confused by the appearance of Pumpkins.
“I’m going to scare you stupid,” Hanks screamed as he busted a few dance moves.
“I was kind of feeling David Pumpkins, nice change of pace,” Harlow said.
Pumpkins continues to “take it one day at a time,” with the skeletons, who are “next to him.”