Mick’s Monologue Is Pure Gold
Though he risked being upstaged by his blinding gold jacket, it’s a testament to Mick Jagger’s charisma that he gave a compelling monologue without any of the showboating or outrageous cameos that have become a crutch for the show’s openings the past several seasons. He told the audience they were about to see him do what he does best—“stand still and talk”—before answering some of the frequent questions he gets from journalists, such as whom his favorite Rolling Stone is (himself) and what his favorite band is (the FreeCreditReport.com guys).
The Secret Word Is ‘TMI’
ADVERTISEMENT
In what may well be the final outing of the recurring Secret Word sketch, which has long served as a showpiece for the departing Kristen Wiig, Jagger played an actor named Chaz Bragman. For the secret word “soft,” he gave the hint “My wife asks, ‘Why is it always?’” Yikes.
Fred Armisen’s Got Moves Like Jagger
In what will surely go down as one of the best sketches of the season, Jagger played an unassuming businessman at a karaoke bar where his fellow patrons insisted on singing Rolling Stones songs and cooing over how much better the botched performances were than Jagger’s own. Meta-sketches don’t always work on SNL, but Fred Armisen’s over-the-top “Start Me Up” swagger, a “Moves Like Jagger” joke, and Mick giving the saddest rendition of “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction” all worked to make this an instant classic.
Jagger Does Tyler
For a So You Think You Can Dance at an Outdoor Music Festival sketch, Jagger dressed up as Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler, a.k.a. that other rock icon known for his crazy wardrobe and memorable lips. “I’d just like to thank all the reptiles who gave their lives for this jacket,” Jagger-as-Tyler said, rocking a jacket that was still more demure than his monologue number.
Jagger Gets the Political Blues
Though his duets with Arcade Fire and the Foo Fighters were memorable in their own rights, it was Jagger’s bluesy song inspired by the upcoming election that stole the musical show. Best line, hands down, had to be the moment he admitted that Mitt Romney was “a hardworking man” but you shouldn’t “ever let him cut your hair.”
Adios, Kristen Wiig
SNL and Jagger sent Wiig off in style for her last show with a touching mashup of the Stones’ “She’s a Rainbow” and “Ruby Tuesday,” featuring cameos by Amy Poehler, Steve Martin, and Jon Hamm. It was a classy way to cap off the evening, the season, and Wiig’s run on the show.
Newsweek Gets the ‘Weekend Update’ Treatment
Jagger didn’t make an appearance in Weekend Update, but a certain Newsweek cover did. Of Obama, Seth Meyers said, “It doesn’t mean he’s gay just because he’s in good shape and goes to a lot of parties, and spends money freely, and travels constantly, and has a rose garden ... Oh, my God, he’s gay.”
