“Samurai Hotel” was a sketch on the iconic television show Saturday Night Live, aired on December 13, 1975. The sketch featured John Belushi in the recurring role of Samurai Futaba, a character known for performing a variety of jobs that one would not typically associate with a samurai. This character was known for his dedicated sense of honor, his use of mock Japanese language, and his proficiency with a katana.
In the “Samurai Hotel” sketch, Belushi’s Samurai Futaba was depicted alongside host Richard Pryor, who was also portraying a samurai. This was the only instance where another samurai character was depicted in these sketches. The premise of the sketch revolved around the two samurai characters engaging in a duel over who would be responsible for carrying a guest’s bags.
In a memorable moment of the sketch, Pryor’s character smashes the front desk of the hotel with his sword. In response, Belushi’s Samurai Futaba says, “I can dig where you’re coming from,” which were the only words ever spoken by the character in English throughout the entirety of his appearances on Saturday Night Live.
