Jason Momoa's Epic Gladiator Rap on 'Saturday Night Live' Unveils the Roman Empire Trend
Jason Momoa, in his hosting gig on 'Saturday Night Live', brilliantly addresses the trending Roman Empire phenomenon in a captivating gladiator rap, offering his unique perspective on this viral sensation
Saturday Night Live tackled the viral Roman Empire trend in a hilarious rap song.
In the Saturday, November 18 episode of SNL, a trio of women (Ego Nwodim, Punkie Johnson, and Chloe Troast) pondered the thoughts of their husbands (played by Jason Momoa, Mikey Day, and Kenan Thompson). During a heartfelt moment, Nwodim, 35, sings about feeling a disconnect with Momoa, 44, as he gazes off into the distance. She questions whether he would be happier alone.
Nwodim asked Momoa about his recent thoughts, prompting him to deliver a full-scale rap while dressed in a period gladiator costume.
"I'm pondering the Roman Empire, Ancient Rome. It occupies my mind five times a day," he raps. "And speaking of which, they welcomed the dome. That's one of the reasons Rome stays on my mental throne!"
Momoa remarks, "Caesar absolutely didn't care / He drank icy water from an aqueduct / But in this timeless city / Here he is, along with his twin Remus, nursing from a wolf's teat. Incredible!"
Troast, aged 26, and Johnson, aged 38, made similar discoveries about their respective onscreen spouses (Day and Thompson), with both actors appearing distant and uninterested in their own families.
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"In the year Double M, Double X, Triple I, the city of Rome was full of colorful statues," Day, 43, shares. "Contrary to popular belief, they were not white. Emperor Nero even committed the unthinkable act of killing his own mother. In addition to that, it is astonishing to know that when they relieved themselves, they sat side by side."
The trend of the Roman Empire started gaining popularity on TikTok in September, even before the start of season 49 of SNL. In several social media videos, many women were astonished to discover that their partners regularly contemplated this historical topic, at least once a week. To shed light on the accomplishments of the Roman Empire, Momoa and the SNL men graced the Studio 8H stage on Saturday.
Momoa humorously notes, "It’s Rome, Rome, Ancient Rome. They even had central air and heating in their homes." This playful remark prompts Nwodim to playfully pretend to slap him for living in his own imagination, and she jokingly accuses him of passing this imaginative trait onto their dinosaur-obsessed son.
“I said, you’re behaving like the Visigoths at this very moment,” he shoots back, commencing the concluding section of his chant. “[Dinosaurs are] somewhat reminiscent of Rome, Rome, Ancient Rome / Comparable to London, Paris, Zurich, and Cologne! As far as religion is concerned…”
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Nwodim interrupted Momoa, urging him to focus on more significant matters in the present, such as astrology.
She, along with Troast and Johnson, sings, "Astrology, exploring the stars and how they shape our identity. For instance, I've observed that a Scorpio is likely to be unfaithful, and if you happen to be a triple Gemini, it's best to steer clear. It's all about astrology!"
Momoa, on the other hand, argued that the Ancient Romans were also genuinely interested in astrology. Nwodim, however, refused to acknowledge his counterargument and declared, "You're finished," while playfully pretending to slap him.
Catch Saturday Night Live on NBC Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET.