SNL 40: Jim Carrey Makes an Awkward Brian Williams Joke on the Red Carpet
In the midst of an otherwise dull (and occasionally painful) red carpet special that aired before the SNL 40th anniversary show, special guest Jim Carrey livened things up by by making Matt Lauer really uncomfortable. His comedic weapon of choice? The recently suspended/disgraced NBC newsman Brian Williams.
While most of the folks walking the red carpet did their best to appear diplomatic in the face of inane questions, Carrey (who was taking questions alongside SNL alum Tina Fey) decided to end their interview in the most awkward way possible, asking:
Can I ask you a question, you guys? Where are you hiding Brian Williams? Where is he?
Lauer attempted to play it off as quickly as possible, but Carrey didn’t relent, adding:
I just want to say something in his defense: If the helicopter in front of me gets hit, I’m taking the story.
Lauer then ended the interview, but Carrey had already added some actual SNL spice to pre-show that was otherwise devoid of the show’s anarchic spirit.
Carrey wasn’t the only person on the red carpet to mention the Brian Williams scandal. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani joked that his famous line on the show’s first post-9/11 episode (when asked by Lorne Michaels if the show had permission to be funny, he responded “Why start now?”) was definitely not written by him and he would never take credit for it:
I want to make sure, Brian Williams, and all this stuff, I want to make sure you understand that was his line. He wrote it. I read it. I was not smart enough to have that line.
Not quite as elegant as Carrey’s joke. Let the professionals stick to this joke business, Rudy.
Check Out the Best SNL Characters Over the Past 40 Years