Louis C.K. brought his own special brand of humor back to "Saturday Night Live" this week, and he made it evident from the get-go.
The comedian, who was hosting for his second time, schooled viewers about the proper way to mention you'd like a little grub in your tummy. And it all started innocently enough.
"I'm hungry, I'm a little hungry," C.K. acknowledged during his opening monologue. (Understandable, it was about time for a midnight snack anyway.)
But he quickly corrected himself. "I mean, I should say, 'I feel hungry,'" he said. "Hunger is a real thing. I don’t have Third World hunger, I have First World hunger. I would like a doughnut."
If that little amendment to his original statement didn't make his point clear enough to viewers, C.K. drove it home while the audience laughed, pointing out that saying "I'm starving" is "offensive" when you ate just a few hours ago.
"Don’t say that!" the comedian declared passionately. "Because some people are starving, and they don’t say it. You never see a little kid in Africa with his ribs showing and he’s like, “I am starving right now. I’m, like, literally starving to death. It’s, like, annoying.”
Sure, it's a serious topic that he got the audience to laugh about, but that's part of the comedian's talent. And he showed off that skill throughout the show, with mentions of murder, religion and domestic violence — and that was just in the monologue.
One sketch had C.K. as a professor of African American studies playing "Black Jeopardy!" with host Alex Treblack (Kenan Thompson) and categories that included "Pssssh!" "That Girl" and "White People." In another, the comedian started a trend when he asked his physician to check his back end for a Darth Vader action figure, which led others who overheard their conversation to also request peeks at their backsides for the toy.
Next week, actress Anna Kendrick of "Up in the Air" and "Twilight" fame hosts. Pharrell Williams will be the musical guest.
Follow Anna Chan on Google+.