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Kate McKinnon May Have Just Auditioned to Host the Oscars

Saturday Night Live star makes a special appearance at the Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon

By Marc Malkin Feb 07, 2017 12:13 AMTags
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live, SNLChris Haston/NBC

Kate McKinnon is destined to host the Oscars.

She certainly proved that earlier today at the annual Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton.

The funny lady was the star of a how-to video shown during the lunch for nominees who end up hearing their names called during the big night.

The throwback video was set at the 1938 Nominees Luncheon with McKinnon playing self-described "screen legend" Gloria Concave.

"The Academy has asked me here to give some tips on how to leave them throwing roses, not tomatoes," McKinnon said. "Did you know tomatoes are a fruit just like all of our husbands?"

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Oscars 2017: Nominees' Luncheon
Courtesy of AMPAS

Among her tips—keep your acceptance speech to 45 seconds or risk being forced off the stage by the "play-off" music.

A portion of Concave's 1928 acceptance speech was shown in which an Italian chef starting throwing food at her.

"I was pelted with some cured meats by a couple of Italians," she recalled. "Just yesterday I found a little piece of mortadella in my cleavage."

She also warned winners not to drop any f-bombs like she had done. "You'll embarrass yourself and incur some hefty fines," McKinnon said. "I'm still donating plasma to pay mine off. The Socorro says my veins are like empty tubes of red acrylic paint."

At the end of the luncheon, nominees posed on a riser for the annual "class picture." Among the crowd were our faves Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Nicole Kidman, Dev Patel, Justin Timberlake, Lucas Hedges and Natalie Portman.

Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs struck a serious tone in her welcome remarks. Looking out at the room with significantly more people of color than last year's #oscarsowhite lineup, she said, "Wow, what a difference a year makes...Simply put, real progress has been made."

She also touched on Pres. Donald Trump's controversial politics. "When we speak out against those who try to put up barriers, we're reminded of this important truth—that all artists around the world are connected by a powerful bond, one that speaks to our creativity and common humanity," she said. 

She added, "Art has no borders. Art has no language and doesn't belong to a single faith...Strong societies don't censor art. They celebrate it."

For complete Oscars coverage, tune in to E! News at 7 p.m. and Fashion Police at 8 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 27.