Jonah Hill To Do Leo's Dirty Work

We haven't been excited about an SNL host in a long time. Kerry Washington was probably the last host that we rooted for, only to have Lorne Michaels write her into as many stereotypes as can fit in one episode. But now, Drake will finally both host and perform, and Jonah Hill will host Saturday Night Live on Jan. 25 to shamelessly promote The Wolf of Wall Street. Finally, some diversity, and irony, for good measure.

While both Drake and Jonah have been on the show before, neither of them has been in this exact situation. Drake has never hosted and performed at the same time, and it's nice to see Lorne and the gang finally choosing a performer of color for this role, since this year has been more whitewashed than most. Although this is wonderful news, Jonah Hill's precarious position might be a bit more interesting.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that every single person promoting something must be in want of an SNL host spot. Many Oscar winners have hosted SNL to keep the "buzz" about their films alive, including Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Lawrence last year (they both won). Even President Obama did a cameo in the 2008 election season. Apparently, the key to an Oscar and a reelection are the same — a graceful appearance on SNL.

But, in a year of killer films, will Jonah Hill's particular brand of party-boy humor seal the deal? Well, he should at least win the Actor Who Has Learned to Hustle award. Just like his character in The Wolf of Wall Street, Jonah is doing Leo DiCaprio's dirty work by promoting the film on SNL. Perhaps he's just a method actor and really wants to stay in character, but otherwise, the irony is inescapable. Let's see what sorts of slimy jokes the SNL crew can cook up for Jonah, hopefully nobody takes any quaaludes.