Tracy Morgan returned to a familiar stage, hosting "Saturday Night Live" in his first appearance on the show since a vehicle crash that left him in a coma.
"I was in a terrible car accident more than a year ago. It was awful, but it also showed me how much love and support I have in this world," the comic said in his opening monologue. "People are wondering, 'Can he speak? Does he have 100 percent mental capacity?' " he asked. "The truth is, I never did. I might even be a few points higher."
In one sketch, he was joined by "30 Rock" co-stars Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Jane Krakowski and Jack McBrayer. Fey broke character to inject a serious note: "We're so happy you're OK. We're even happier you're ready to make people laugh again."
Morgan also brought back a couple of his familiar characters — Astronaut Jones (stranded on Mars, a la Matt Damon in "The Martian") and animal expert Brian Fellow (joined by a real camel, who mostly cooperated). Morgan suffered severe head trauma in June 2014 when a truck on the New Jersey Turnpike slammed into the back of the limo van he was riding in. James McNair, a mentor of Morgan's, was killed in the crash. Morgan was in a coma for two weeks.
Murphy trades places with Mark Twain
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honored Eddie Murphy Sunday with the nation's top prize for humor. A lineup including Dave Chappelle, George Lopez, Kathy Griffin, Arsenio Hall, Trevor Noah and Whitney Cummings saluted Murphy with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Other performers include stars from "Saturday Night Live," where Murphy had an early break. Among the SNL alumni paying tribute to Murphy were Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock, Jay Pharoah, Kevin Nealon and Joe Piscopo. The humor prize honors those who influence society in the tradition of Samuel Clemens, the writer and satirist known as Mark Twain. Past honorees include Jay Leno, Carol Burnett, Tina Fey, Whoopi Goldberg, Ellen DeGeneres, Will Ferrell, Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby.
soul man: Justin Timberlake sang and strutted his way through his induction into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame on Saturday, doing vocal impersonations of soul singers Al Green and Otis Redding, performing on stage with Sam Moore of Sam & Dave, and joking with buddy Jimmy Fallon. Also inducted were Sam & Dave, Elvis Presley guitarist Scotty Moore, Booker T. & the MG's drummer Al Jackson Jr., singer Alberta Hunter, blues pianist Memphis Slim and country singer Charlie Rich. Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards accepted the award for Scotty Moore, who did not attend.
Associated Press
