Christopher Walken is getting into the Halloween spirit!
The 80-year-old actor appeared during the cold open on this weekend’s episode of Saturday Night Live, his first time back on the sketch show since 2008.
Walken’s character popped in as the spirit of Halloween to help explain “the true meaning of Halloween” to Mikey Day’s President Joe Biden, who had decorated the Oval Office in time for the spooky holiday.
“I’m the spirit of Halloween, the ghost of All Hallow’s past,” Walken introduced himself in the sketch. “In South America, they call me Papa Pumpkin.”
Papa Pumpkin says Happy Halloween! pic.twitter.com/omk42VgdLb
— Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) October 29, 2023
As a play on Santa Claus entering homes through the chimney, Walken’s spirit of Halloween said he entered the White House through the toilet.
“It’s the Halloween way. It’s what the holiday is all about,” he explained. “Sure, there’s spooky goblins, creepy crawlers, hocus pocus, but it’s about camaraderie. Meet the neighbors, you don’t want to see again on any other day. After all, you can’t spell Halloween without ‘Hello.’ “
Walken then recited a poem: “Trick or treat, smell my feet, gimme something good to eat,’ he said. Day’s Biden attempted to speak but Walken cut him off, adding, “I’m not done.” Then he continued the poem, “If you don’t, I don’t care, I’ll pull down your underwear.”
When Day’s Biden noted that he thinks that last line describes a crime, Walken’s character clarified, “Not on Halloween. Not when Papa Pumpkin’s in town. Come on, let me smell those feet.”
Signaling the end of the skit, Walken segued into the audience’s introduction of the stars of Saturday’s show, including host Nate Bargatze. Walken later introduced the first musical performance by the Foo Fighters.
For one of the episode’s promo, SNL cast member Andrew Dismukes acknowledged that the episode would fall ahead of Halloween when he joked that they should refer to the Foo Fighters as the “Boo Fighters.”
“That’s the best idea I’ve ever heard,” guitarist Dave Grohl said after he initially seemed to not like the renaming of the band. “Happy Halloween everyone!”
