“Lorne said the funniest thing” — Saturday Night Live host Jack Black recalls Desi Arnaz warning from Michaels during 2025 episode
Saturday Night Live host Jack Black shared a surprising story from his recent appearance on the show while speaking on the Fly on the Wall podcast, hosted by Dana Carvey and David Spade.
The May 7, 2025 episode featured Black reflecting on his April 5 hosting gig—his fourth time hosting and his first appearance in two decades. During their conversation, Black recalled a moment that happened after rehearsal.
“Lorne said the funniest thing. I don't think he was trying to be funny,” Black shared.
Jack Black explained that after seeing his high-energy monologue rehearsal, which included singing, a somersault, and running around the studio, SNL producer Lorne Michaels approached him with an anecdote.
The story was about I Love Lucy star Desi Arnaz hosting SNL in 1976. Lorne Michaels shared it to caution Jack Black about the physical demands of performing. Black later admitted he enjoyed the monologue but found it physically tough. What started as a simple comment became a bigger talk about pacing and endurance on live TV.
Michaels remembered Arnaz’s performance in Saturday Night Live 1976
After Jack Black finished his rehearsal, which involved singing and moving across the studio, Lorne Michaels shared a story meant to make a point. According to Black, Michaels told him about Desi Arnaz’s 1976 Saturday Night Live appearance. Arnaz, who was 59 at the time, insisted on performing his well-known “Babalú” number—one that required singing and drumming live with the band.
“He was doing it, but he could see that he was starting to sweat and really struggle physically while he was 'Babalú'-ing,” Black said.
Despite the signs of fatigue, Arnaz wouldn’t stop. Michaels grew concerned when he saw something unusual.
“Then he looked closer on the screen and he's like, 'Desi's lips started to turn blue,’” Black explained.
That’s when Michaels decided to cut to commercial. “And he just pulled the plug on it and said, ‘Just go to commercial, whatever.’” Black admitted the story caught him off guard. He remembered asking, “Wait a second, are you telling me this story because you're worried I'm going to die?”
Michaels had shared it as a caution, not a joke, and the seriousness of the moment made Black reflect on how physically demanding hosting Satuday Night Live can be.
Jack Black reflects on the producer’s concern after Saturday Night Live rehearsal
In the second part of the podcast discussion, Jack Black spoke more about what Michaels’ story meant. Sharing that Michaels was genuinely concerned,
“He was just warning me not to go too hard. Because if I went full hard as a motherf***er, that I could die,” Black said.
The physical energy of the monologue had pushed Black more than expected, and the producer seemed to want him to pace himself. Black also revealed that the elaborate staging of the musical monologue wasn’t entirely his idea. “It wasn’t actually my idea,” he said, referring to the sequence that required him to move across different studio sections while performing.
The routine included dancing, singing, and a tiger roll, which Michaels had seen during rehearsal. This April 5, 2025, episode marked Black’s return to SNL after 20 years. He was joined on stage by cast members Marcello Hernández, Heidi Gardner, and Kenan Thompson during the monologue.
Catch the latest episodes of Saturday Night Live, currently streaming on Peacock.
