Woody Harrelson hosted “Saturday Night Live” this weekend, marking his fifth time as host.
Not only did Harrelson join the show’s Five-Timers Club, he also stirred up some controversy with a joke toward the end of his opening monologue.
He recalled reading the “craziest script” recently, and broke down the plot.
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“So the movie goes like this: The biggest drug cartels in the world get together and buy up all the media and all the politicians and force all the people in the world to stay locked in their homes,” Harrelson quipped. “And people can only come out if they take the cartel’s drugs and keep taking them over and over.”
Then he delivered the punchline. “I threw the script away,” Harrelson joked. “I mean, who was going to believe that crazy idea? Being forced to do drugs? I do that voluntarily all day.”
Woody Harrelson's monologue! pic.twitter.com/FAEcBDnIKu
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) February 26, 2023
Viewers were quick to respond to what appeared to be a conspiracy theory about the COVID-19 vaccine; while the COVID-is-a-hoax crowd was thrilled to apparently have Harrelson on side, not everyone on social media was so supportive of his conspiracy theory.
What on earth was this antivax nonsense
— Nick Brennan (@nfbrennan) February 26, 2023
Woody Harrelson hosted #SaturdayNight & criticized Big Pharma regarding COVID.
Antivaxxers are thrilled. They can now add Woody to their list of experts which include Dr. Kevin Sorbo, Rob Schneider PhD, the famed virologist Scott Baio, and your uncle who lives in the basement.
— 💙🌊 Zero Dark Twenty-Nine 🌊🌊🖋️🧫 (@herotimeszero) February 26, 2023
Yes, Woody Harrelson went full anti-vax conspiracy theorist during his SNL Monologue tonight https://t.co/rmwm6JIsYh
— Marlow Stern (@MarlowNYC) February 26, 2023
NBC producers watching Woody Harrelson show up drunk and high, spew antivax conspiracy theories, and struggle to remember his lines tonight pic.twitter.com/Phldf1daKK
— Stephen (@dcsteve5) February 26, 2023
So Woody Harrelson uses his SNL monologue to push his hostility to Covid vaccines? Really?
— Steven Beschloss (@StevenBeschloss) February 26, 2023
Woody Harrelson before walking out to do his SNL Monologue: pic.twitter.com/1KUlVspp30
— Danny Armstrong (@DArmstrong44) February 26, 2023
It’s such an incredibly selfish & privileged position, the anti-vax, anti-lockdown, covid conspiracy one.
Woody Harrelson, & those supporting such bs, are only able to do so because they themselves are ok.
Nobody who suffered or lost loved ones to Covid talks like that.— HollyHox🐇 (@HollHox) February 26, 2023
Thank you, @nbcsnl, for Woody Harrelson's insipid anti-vax monologue. Who are going to have guest host next week, Scott Baio? Rob Schneider? Kevin Sorbo? Maybe invite Kanye back while you're at it.
— Lee Goldberg (@LeeGoldberg) February 26, 2023
DISEASES ERADICATED OR CONTAINED BY VACCINES:
1. Chickenpox
2. Diphtheria
3. Measles
4. COVID-19
5. Pneumococcal Infection
6. Polio
7. Tetanus
8. Typhoid
9. Yellow Fever
10. SmallpoxSo yeah, Woody Harrelson should just sit this one out.
— Benny (@bennyr82) February 26, 2023
@WoodyHarrelson as a nurse who worked thru COVID, gfy sir! Thanks . You made me feel super disrespected, so I will return the favor , FO. Next outbreak, feel free not to ask for help
— TheGreatPredictor (@Dawniewouldnt) February 26, 2023
Great.
Twitter is going to be full of far right propaganda and conspiracy theorists for the next few days thanks to Woody Harrelson and his #SNL opening monologue… pic.twitter.com/1PuHbLx2fg— Spanky Johnson (@ShamuriJack) February 26, 2023
the SNL cast backstage watching woody harrelson go on an anti-vaxx rant during his monologue knowing they have to do sketches with this man for the next hour
— elise | sarah snook’s emmy campaign (@bisexualcrises) February 26, 2023
“Saturday Night Live” airs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. PT on Global.