From playing under the bright lights of State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, to playing under the stage lights of Studio 8H in New York City, Travis Kelsey has enjoyed a wild month.
With just three weeks to go to win his second Super Bowl, the four-time All-Pro traded in his championship rings for sketches and wigs — many, many wigs — as host Saturday night life.
Known not only for his football exploits but also for his exuberant nature, Kelce took the stage for his opening monologue, dancing to himself.
“It’s great to be here,” he told the cheering crowd. “If you don’t know, I just won my second Super Bowl. It was amazing, but for me, hosting SNL is so much better, baby! I’m lying to you all. I’m lying, I’m kidding. …Winning the Super Bowl was much better. Seriously though, I’m honored that SNL asked me to host.”
After making an accurate impression on teammate Patrick Mahomes, he turned his attention to his family.
“Probably the coolest thing about this Super Bowl is that my whole family was there,” Kelsey said. “I had to play against my brother Jason, who plays at The Eagle. And my mom was on TV more than both of us. My mom, dad and brother are here today.
“You know, people keep asking me what it was like to beat my brother in the Super Bowl. And it was pretty awkward. Moreover, after the game we had to go home together. Mom took us there in a minivan. good old times. Even though his team lost by 10 points in half, my brother is actually really happy for me.”
The camera, of course, shows Jason with a stone face.
Travis continued, poetically watching the show grow up and promising to “give it all I have.”
He did this and more. The tight end continued the long line of NFL players to host the famous comedy show. From Fran Tarkenton in 1977 to quarterbacks like Tom Brady and the Peyton brothers and Eli Manning, he is the last NFL player to host the SNL since quarterback JJ Watt did in February 2020, the day before how Kelsey got his first Super Bowl win. .
Far from being a wooden or tongue-tied performer, Kelsey took over Saturday hosting duties at 30 Rockerfeller Plaza as naturally as he did on a fall Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.
In the first skit, Kelsey placed him in the American Girl Doll Cafe, wearing a pink suit and sleek blonde wig, surrounded by families as he dined alone with his two dolls (to the horror of the waiters). In his second appearance, he played self-defense expert Kurt Lighting. His blond wig grew to a trickle to his shoulders. His unorthodox training methods included knocking out two-thirds of the comedy trio “Please Don’t Destroy” and then sweeping the feet of all three so their own interns could pour their coffee over them.
He was ready for anything the actors threw at him and never had to resort to skits that put him in his comfort zone playing himself or getting back on the football field.
In the next sketch, he presented Weekend at Bernie’sis an inspired eulogy to the male-headed nurse and romantic partner of a much older deceased. He then starred as a straight friend in a commercial.
His fifth skit welcomed the guest. Although the leaders hinted on twitter on Friday that Kansas City offensive lineman Creed Humphrey would join the show, he was nowhere to be seen. Another center came.
Kelsey, playing a man named Graham, ran into a dated Abby who was in tears when he found out he was engaged. He almost broke character a few times when a machine set up to make Abby cry haphazardly shed tears around the set, but the real climax came when she introduced her new boyfriend, played by Jason.
Jason, two years older than Travis, asked Abby if he needed to beat up “that guy” because he “definitely can”.
After that, he played a tracksuit-wearing criminal named Sucre Volodarxi, who ended his marriage and sat back while the couple briefed their three children during home karaoke.
He then thwarted a nascent relationship on a dating app and then closed the show with a reality TV parody. Too hot to holdputting him in familiar territory – Kelsey hosted his own reality show, Catching Kelcein 2016, which he self-deprecatingly poked fun at during his opening monologue.
Kelsey signed the contract standing between musical guest Kelsey Ballerini and his brother. He thanked both of them, the cast, Lorne Michaels and the writers, before the show was cut for time. Perhaps so much good material from Kelsey contributed to the long run of the show, and perhaps the abrupt ending will leave fans wanting him to come back sometime in the future.
A two-time Super Bowl champion with a huge list of awards and records, Kelsey can now add “successful SNL host” to an ever-growing resume.
Source: www.nfl.com
