Joseph Gordon-Levitt energizes 'Saturday Night Live'

His enthusiasm was obvious from the opening monologue in which he bounced off the walls. It wasn't necessarily funny, but his energy sold it. The actor, who as far as I know has sung and danced in just one film, "(500) Days of Summer," performed "Make 'Em Laugh" while being slapped and punched by Bobby Moynihan. He also did some fabulous back flips off the walls, then crashed through a prop wall before falling to the stage floor to end the number.

JGL sang in at least three other skits, including a very funny skit in which Andy Samberg played Jack Johnson, host of "The Mellow Show."

A barefoot Jack welcomed guests Dave Matthews (played by Bill Hader), Jason Mraz (played by JGL) and Ozzy Osborne (played by musical guest and the real Dave Matthews). "Jason" and "Dave" did a foot-five, and all three guests sang. "Dave" sang a song called "Chicken Panini;" "Jason" performed a song about his hat, and "Ozzy" sang "I Am Tired."

After the performance, "Jack" said, "That was not so mellow. In fact, I'm pretty sure you scared Dave Matthews." It was the funniest skit of the night with great writing and great delivery. All the imitations were dead on.

"Bizarre" can describe my two other favorites parts of the episode: A digital short called "Two Worlds Collide" and "What Up with That?" which is becoming my favorite recurring sketch.

This time around, Kenan Thompson's Deondre Cole welcomed guests Al Gore (the real former VP), Mindy Kaling from "The Office" and Lindsay Buckingham (played by Hader). If you've seen the skit before, Deondre sings "What Up with That?" with back-up singers, a choir (this time), and Jason Sudeikis in a track suit dancing strangely.

He then asks a guest a question, interrupting almost immediately to sing his song again. Tonight, he cut off Gore, who wanted to talk about the environment. JGL joined the fun tonight as Klaus Blucher (I think) playing a keytar and singing. Andy Samberg came on in clown hat and wig to dance, and Jack the Snake Roberts (played by Moynihan) soft-shoed across the stage.

"What Up with That?" is totally random and totally hilarious.

The latest digital short didn't reach the heights of "Motherlover," "[Bleep] in a Box" or "[Bleep] in My Pants," but it was pretty awesome. Thompson scored again as Reba McEntire, sort of, who hooks up with Andy both in bed and to perform the song. It's just good dirty fun. Watch "Two Worlds Collide" here and let me know what you think. (My Top 10 musical digital shorts.)

JGL also sang briefly in a decent "Secret Word" skit. Seth Meyers and "Weekend Update" used Al Gore well.

"I'm a popular vote guy," he said, reminding us all about how the Republicans stole the 2004 election.

He also said he plans to "out-crazy the crazies" in order to get politicians to worry about the climate crisis. He said he plans to plant trees in politicos' front yards.

"And tape toy guns to the branches pointed to the doors so when they wake up and walk out of their houses in the morning they'll think it's the forests coming to get their revenge," he said.

The episode went down hill after "Update," with a rather disappointing second half that included an unfunny Thanksgiving skit (more JGL singing), and another talk-show skit that was the same joke over and over again. Still it was better than last week's fiasco hosted by January Jones.

"Jackie Snad and Clancy Bachlerat" did not appear in the episode, but it should have replaced the lame Thanksgiving dinner skit that did.