“Black Jeopardy,” one of Kenan Thompson’s most popular recurring “Saturday Night Live” sketches, came back to 30 Rock during the show’s 50th anniversary special on Sunday. As usual, Thompson played host Darnell Hayes aka Alex Treblack, with contestants being played by former cast members Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan and, most notably, Eddie Murphy.
The biggest laughs were earned by Murphy, who did an impression of Morgan, while Morgan played a man named Darius and Jordan played a woman named Shanice.
“Welcome to ‘Black Jeopardy,’ the only ‘Jeopardy’ where every single viewer fully understood Kendrick’s halftime performance,” Thompson said, opening the sketch with a reference to Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl appearance.
As Thompson introduced him, Murphy called out, “Big dog gonna make some big money!” in an exaggerated put-on of Morgan’s voice.
“Now wait a minute, Tracy. Don’t you already have a lot of money?” Thompson asked him. “You gotta have a lot of money if you live like I live,” Murphy shot back. “I eat four-cheese lasagna. If they only got three cheeses, I ain’t eating it.” As Thompson tried to wrap him up, Murphy emphasized, “I refuse to ingest three cheeses.”
“Darius, Tracy, y’all seem like you might be related,” Thompson said after the game got going. In his outlandish Morgan impression, Murphy said, “Well, James Earl Jones is my biological father. James Earl Jones impregnated my mother on the set of ‘Claudine.’ You know what? We might be related.” Morgan, acting irritated, replied, “I don’t see it.”
The categories for the Jeopardy game were “Look Here,” “This Joker Talkin’ Bout,” “Leave Bronny Alone,” “Mannnn…,” “Live From New York” and, as always, “White People.”
When Morgan selected “Live From New York” and was asked which “legendary late night show created some of comedy’s biggest stars,” an obvious meta-reference to “SNL,” all three contestants fell silent. Darius finally guessed “In Living Color” before Thompson gave them the hint that the show aired on Saturdays. “What is ‘Showtime at the Apollo’?” Murphy offered as Morgan. The buzzer for incorrect answers rang out before he added, “Featuring Sandman Sims,” and was buzzed again. “Hosted by Steve Harvey,” he tried. Though he got yet another buzz, he kept going — “Y’all ready for your next act? Let me hear you say ‘yeah!”” Morgan and especially Jones broke character and burst out laughing during the bit.
Next, Jones appeared close to getting the right answer: “This show has been on every Saturday for years, right, Darnell? And it’s got a host and a musical guest? Can I say the famous catchphrase that opens the show?” On Thompson’s cue, she cheered, “It’s ‘Soul Train!’” and got buzzed. When Thompson finally told them that the answer was “Saturday Night Live,” none of them were familiar. Even when he reminded them that Morgan had been on the show with Tina Fey, Murphy replied, “What is ’30 Rock’?”
Chris Rock then came out to give a guest clue about “SNL” after joking that he’s been watching “Black Jeopardy” since the ’70s, when it was titled “Mama’s Got Questions.” Presenting a photo of the Church Lady, a character Dana Carvey played on “SNL” beginning in the late ’80s, he asked the group to name her. After Jones incorrectly guessed Madea, the right answer was supplied by a surprise Tom Hanks — complete with a Make America Great Again hat and a Southern accent.
Hanks added, “Speaking of church, can I say something? If more folks went to church, we wouldn’t be in this mess we’re in now.” Thompson said he agreed, then stepped forward to shake Hanks’ hand. Hanks recoiled from the gesture, but eventually accepted it. Thompson told him he was welcome on “Black Jeopardy” anytime, to which Hanks responded, “Thank you, my brother. Maybe I’ll start a show for you to come on, and we’ll call it ‘White Jeopardy.”
“We don’t need it!” Thompson said, rushing to a commercial break. “When we return to ‘Black Jeopardy,’ we will see if anyone has watched any of this year’s Oscar movies. I doubt it!”
Watch the full sketch below.
Black Jeopardy! #SNL50 pic.twitter.com/QFKKTRWeer
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) February 17, 2025
From Variety US