“Hamilton” creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda hosted this week’s “SNL,” and the Broadway star opened the show by acknowledging his own accomplishments.
“I’m fresh off a long run performing in my musical ‘Hamilton,’” Miranda said, “Which fortunately is one of the biggest hits ever on Broadway so that means most of you at home have no idea who I am.”
Miranda then described how it had long been a dream of his to host “Saturday Night Live,” and when the news broke that he would finally get the chance everybody he knew, of course, asked if he would do a “Hamilton” song.
“I’m like, no! It’s “Saturday Night Live”! I want to do all the “SNL” stuff. I want to do all the stuff an “SNL” host gets to do. It takes seven years to write a show so I don’t know when I’m going to be back here. So I am not throwing away my shot.”
“My Shot” is, of course, a track from “Hamilton,” and from there he burst into an “SNL”-tailored version of the song. You can watch the full performance above.
Not throwin' away his shot. #SNLinManuel @lin_manuel pic.twitter.com/7bQwXuCQ52
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) October 9, 2016
“My name is Lin-Manuel, I am hosting “SNL” and I am not throwing away my shot,” Miranda sang. Imma go for broke and do it all tonight, take a swing, pass the baton, give me the ball tonight. I got a Tony and an Emmy and a Grammy yo, what I want is a famous person cameo.”
The performance took Miranda through the audience and backstage, where he encountered “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels, who interrupted the song to hit up Miranda for “Hamilton” tickets.
“Oh yeah, I’ll see what I can do. no promises, though,” Miranda replied. As Miranda wandered off to continue his performance, Michaels sheepishly noted that he can do a matinee, if that’s the best Miranda could do.
You never throw away your shot to ask @Lin_Manuel Miranda for #Hamilton tickets. #SNLinManuel pic.twitter.com/JpOiD2Kqwm
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) October 9, 2016
As he made his way through the studio halls, he rapped about earning his spot on the wall of “SNL” hosts “like Miley, Schumer, Tracy Morgan and this piece–,” stopping as he came upon Donald Trump’s picture.
As the parody wrapped, Miranda made another brief political comment, as he rapped that “as long as I remember to vote this November I am not throwing away my shot.”