AceShowbiz - Chris Rock took to the iconic Studio 8H stage at 30 Rockefeller Plaza to host "Saturday Night Live" for the fourth time. With the studio decorated festively for the holiday season, the legendary comedian didn't hold back in his seven-minute opening monologue, targeting a range of current events with his signature wit and insight.

Rock kicked off by acknowledging the whirlwind of headlines dominating the news cycle. "There's a lot going on in the news, my God, it's so crazy out there," the former "SNL" cast member observed before diving headfirst into the week's biggest stories.

Rock ventured into the political arena by commenting on President Joe Biden's controversial decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden. "I gotta hand it to Joe, he don't move as fast as he used to, he don't talk as fast as he used to," Rock noted wryly, "But that middle finger still works," alluding to Biden's audacious pardon.

Rock emphasized that any parent would likely do the same, quipping, "Every parent in the world would pardon their son, except the parents of the Menendez Brothers."

Rock also turned his comedic lens on other topics, including Jake Paul, Luigi Mangione, as well as president-elect Donald Trump's political maneuvers.

Venting his distaste for YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul over his boxing match with 58-year-old Mike Tyson who is ridden with illness, Rock quipped, "This 27-year-old punching a 60-year-old in the face. Is this what the white man has reduced himself to? Who's he going to fight next, Morgan Freeman? I hate Jake Paul."

Rock also addressed public's fixation on Mangione's looks following the tragic UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's killing, "Everybody's fixated on how good-looking this guy is. If he looked like Jonah Hill, no one would care. They'd give him the chair already - he'd be dead." He expressed his condolences to the Thompson family, yet deadpanned, "Sometimes drug dealers get shot. You've seen The Wire."

The comedian's monologue also took a broader look at U.S. presidential history and Trump's plans for mass deportations, layered with biting humor. Rock lampooned Trump's imagined collaboration with Elon Musk for deportation efforts by saying, "Nobody knows how to get rid of people like a South African."

According to Rock, they would put immigrants "on a rocket ship, call it SpaceMex," humorously adding that even Jennifer Lopez might marry Ben Affleck again to avoid deportation, "I know she's not Mexican… but Trump don't know that."

Rock's return to "SNL" was not only a display of his comedic prowess but also a bold commentary on the state of the nation, wrapped in intelligent humor that resonated well with the audience. Rock's monologue adeptly balanced comedy with critical commentary, striking a chord with viewers by providing both laughs and thought-provoking insights.