'America's dad' Tom Hanks has a chat with his big, growin' nation

"Hey, buddy," Tom Hanks said at the beginning of his heart-to-heart with the oldest Hanks child — the United States of America — in his Saturday Night Live monologue. Hanks was recently named "America's dad" on a magazine cover, so he decided to use his SNL intro to have a little chat with a nation he's noticed is confused and even scared of all the changes happening inside.

Hanks mostly struck an encouraging tone, as any good parent would do. "Remember when you went though that Depression? This is nothing!" he said. "You're just growing up. You're in an awkward phase."

But he had some tough love, too. That national debt, for instance — don't expect dad to pay it off. "I'd like to help you out," Hanks said, "but if I do, you're never gonna learn. Also, I don't have $19 trillion. I have $230 million." Also, everyone can smell the weed, champ.

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Watch the whole chat below. Bonnie Kristian