Watch Chris Rock Riff on Prince in Hilarious ‘SNL’ Promos
Most Saturday Night Live hosts film their episode promos in-studio, standing statically in front of a camera as they rattle off scripted jokes. But Chris Rock isn’t your typical host. To promote his appearance on the November 1st episode, the actor/filmmaker/comedian/former cast member hit the streets of New York City, improvising with SNL veteran Bobby Moynihan for a documentary-looking teaser.
Since the episode will feature a legendary musical guest in Prince, Rock and Moynihan focus their material on the Purple One. The first bit finds Rock playing a “Where’s Waldo?”-styled game with viewers, as the camera pans to reveal Moynihan decked out in a tiny purple hat. (*SNL acknowledges this is clearly not Prince,” reads a disclaimer.)
Elsewhere, the duo demonstrate the magnetic power of even speaking the singer’s name in public: “Any time you say the word ‘Prince,’ a woman will scream somewhere in the world,” Rock says, before verifying the theory. And to top off their goofy, Purple-themed promo, the comedians joke about how they’ll be co-hosting and performing Prince covers during the episode. While Moynihan promises to focus on hits like “When Doves Cry,” Rock plans to unearth some “nasty” gems: “When they think Bobby Moynihan and Chris Rock,” he cracks, “they think ‘Erotic City.'”
The November 1st episode will mark Rock’s first hosting stint in 18 years, whose new film, Top Five, hits theaters on December 12th. Prince has performed twice on the long-running comedy series, including an appearance in 2006. Though the song selection remains unclear, the musician will reportedly deliver an uninterrupted, eight-minute jam session with his backing band 3rdEyeGirl (with whom he recorded both of his new LPs, Art Official Age and PlectrumElectrum).