Tracy Morgan took the stage as host of "Saturday Night Live," marking his official return to comedy Saturday, more than a year after he was badly injured in a deadly car crash.
“I’m back!" It feels so good to be here,” Morgan declared, making his comeback to the show he’d called home from 1996 to 2003.
Morgan was joined in his opening monologue by his former “30 Rock” costars Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Jane Krakowski and Jack McBrayer, all reprising their roles from the Emmy-winning sitcom in which Morgan starred during its 7-season run.
But “Tracy Jordan” wasn’t the only famous character he revisited as host. Some of his most recognizable characters from his time on "SNL" also made appearances, including the eponymous host of “Brian Fellow's Safari Planet," Astronaut Jones, and a homeless man named Woodrow.
His return as host of "SNL" comes more than a year after Morgan, 46, suffered a traumatic brain injury in a June 2014 tour bus accident on the New Jersey Turnpike that killed his friend and fellow comedian James "Jimmy Mack" McNair.
Morgan referenced his injuries during his monologue Saturday night, poking fun at the fact that the audience wasn’t sure if he would turn up as the funnyman they once knew. Morgan had confessed during a tearful interview with NBC's Matt Lauer earlier this summer that he also feared he wouldn’t be able to find the funny again.
But these fears were put to rest as Morgan confidently made his way through his return to the show that put him on the map, where he had not appeared since a cameo in the 2011 Christmas special.
In his monologue Saturday, Morgan said he had reached out to "SNL" creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels about his desire to return to the show after he recuperated.
“I said 'Lorne, when I get back on my feet, I'm gonna come home," he told the roaring crowd. "And here I am."
