'Saturday Night Live': Spartans, beasts and the return of The Rock Obama

By Hanh Nguyen

October 18, 2009 1:20 PM

Gerard Butler's guest hosting stint on "Saturday Night Live" wasn't spectacular, but did deliver a few chuckles.

The "Law Abiding Citizen" star naturally had to spoof his iconic role as the Spartan King Leonidas in "300." Sadly, since he and his "SNL" comrades weren't quite up to the fitness level to show off six-pack abs, faux abs-corrugated breastplates were used.

Check out what happens when the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy is questioned:

Butler also makes a funny showing with the "Beauty and the Beast" spoof. He's really no singer though:

Finally, we get the return of "The Rock" Obama. That's right, Dwayne Johnson makes a surprise cameo as the angry alter ego of Barack Obama. It's a pretty long skit with some mindless violence, but definitely check out the "special effects" during the transformation scene:

The Rock is always game to look silly; that's why he and Justin Timberlake are some of our favorite guest stars on "SNL."

Did you like the episode? Any skits you liked better than these?

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| Comments (12)

12 Comments

The Rock needs to go back to wrestling. I suspect the only reason he appeared on SNL was to make Fred Armisen's wretched impersonation of Obama look better by comparison.

SNL @ 35: The lamest political satire on God's green earth.

Know Your Role | October 18, 2009 1:42 PM

I thought last nights episode was better than the megan fox episode or well most of them so far. But still SNL has been slackin big time.

smitty | October 18, 2009 3:42 PM

I hope they do more commercials where they look back at the dress rehersals over the past 35 years. The "Riding My Donkey Poltical Talkshow" sketch was one of the funniest of all time. Some of them don't get past dress reshersal due to time or the sketch didn't work out as originally planned. The "Robot Waiter" sketch falls into that category.

Andrew | October 18, 2009 3:45 PM

The next new SNL returns on November 7 with host and musical guest Taylor Swift. Rumor has it that Kanye West will also be on to finally make an official and legitamite appology for interuping her at the VMAs.

Andrew | October 18, 2009 3:55 PM

As to the comment regarding Gerard Butler's singing... are you forgetting The Phantom of the Opera???

Rafa Benavides | October 18, 2009 7:07 PM

that episode was ok, "the beauty and the beast", and the "300" were the best sketches, but where was andy sandberg, i didn't see him at all last night was he sick or what

daniel patrick | October 18, 2009 9:08 PM

SNL was great Saturday and Gerry Butler did a great job!
HE can't sing...apparently someone doesn't really know how talented he is! He was fantastic and more than willing to put himself out there tolook silly and be funny! Great Job Gerry!

Kristine | October 19, 2009 3:59 AM

Best show of the season! Know your role-you are obviously either 65 years old or don't have a college degree-that is why you don't "get" SNL.

J | October 19, 2009 5:28 AM

@ Rafa

No, I'm not forgetting about the Phantom of the Opera. Gerard Butler couldn't sing in that either! Just because he was allowed to doesn't mean he had the chops to do so.

Hanh | October 19, 2009 7:29 AM

I don't think Fred Armisen is horrible at all. President Obama is just a boring person to impersonate.

Armisen does actually have the mannerisms and tone down

JayS | October 19, 2009 8:33 AM