Nope's surprising Saturday Night Live reference is somewhat based on a real sketch

The Mr. Peepers character first appeared on "SNL" on September 28, 1996, during the show's 22nd season. Guest host Tom Hanks, playing an animal trainer, introduced a rare animal to Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show." The rare pet was Mr. Peepers (Kattan), a human ape wearing red shorts and suspenders, oversized ears, and messy hair. Mr Peepers' violent and outlandish behavior - he barked and fidgeted incessantly - was meant to contrast with the hosts' attempts to keep their cool. Mr. Peepers was a satire of other animal acts that had appeared on "The Tonight Show" in the past.

Mr. Peepers — likely named after the 1950 sitcom Wally Cox — was a hot character, and Kattan was always ready to go wild on stage. The character would go on to appear on "SNL" eleven more times during Kattan's tenure on the show, with his final appearance on April 6, 2002. The shtick remained the same throughout: a well-mannered, cosmopolitan environment would be invaded by the out-of-control behavior of Mr. Peepers, and an excessively quiet authority figure was always present to excuse or explain the chaos.

The joke, of course, was Kattan's energy. Kattan never underestimated Mr. Peepers, always eager to let loose. Kattan has become very good at attacking an apple on stage and is no longer afraid to spit food, grope the face or bump the legs of his co-stars. In the clip above, from Mr. Peepers' ninth appearance (March 18, 2000), Mr. Peepers was joined by his father, Papa Peepers, played by a very Dwayne Johnson game, back when he was still credited as The Rock. /p>