SNL stars name their favorite sketches
NEW YORK, N.Y. (WSAV) — Legions of comedic talent have paraded through NBC's Studio 8H, whether as cast members, writers or hosts of 'Saturday Night Live.'
As the sketch show marks its 50th anniversary with a host of celebration, its cast members and alumni look back on their favorite sketches and the enduring legacy of 'Saturday Night Live.'
FAVORITE SKETCH: 'The Wizard of Oz'
'There's a 'Wizard of Oz' one that we did that actually John Mulaney wrote, where there's like this new footage of 'Wizard of Oz,' of a character that got cut out of a movie, and it's a weather vane,' said Armisen, who played Weathervane alongside Anne Hathaway's Dorothy. 'Something about it, I just I really love that sketch.'
FAVORITE SKETCH: 'Everything is amazing,' the current cast member said, but she seemed to hope the anniversary special would see a reprise of 'The Californians.'
'All of it are sort of 'pinch me' moments and I feel like it'll be even bigger than the 40th,' she said of the upcoming special.
FAVORITE SKETCHES: 'More Cowbell,' with Christopher Walken fixated on adding that signature sound to Blue Öyster Cult's 'Don't Fear the Reaper.' Forte named a few, but 'Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer' was another favorite. Then, of course, there's Adam Sandler's classic 'The Chanukah Song.'
'I hadn't seen 'The Chanukah Song' in a long time. … It just happened to be on the other day,' said Forte, who was freshly reminded: 'It's so good.'
FAVORITE SKETCH: 'More Cowbell,' perhaps a universal favorite.
'I think 'Cowbell' would work if English was your like 10th language. … I think that's a safe pick,' he said. 'It's Will Ferrell at the height of his powers. … It's an all-time host Christopher Walken doing a thing that only Christopher Walken could do.' (Of the last 12 months, Meyers is also partial to Nate Bargatze's 'Washington's Dream' sketches.)
WHY 'SNL' ENDURES: To Meyers, who now hosts 'late Night in Studio 8G, 'Saturday Night Live' is like sports. It's live. No one knows what's going to happen.
'It's so beautifully uneven. I've always said the worst show has something great and the best show has something terrible,' Meyers said. 'And there's no there's no host that can guarantee consistency. … If you laid all the Alec Baldwin-hosted episodes out there, there's a huge gap between the best one and the worst one. And there's no real reason to explain that, other than just everybody sort of had a bad week.'
FAVORITE SKETCHES: 'Haunted Elevator,' with Tom Hanks as the spooky-yet-goofy David S. Pumpkins; 'Calculator Christmas Gift,' where Fred Armisen and John Malkovich have their odd holiday wish list fulfilled; 'Tennis Talk with Time-Traveling Scott Joplin,' which is somehow exactly what it sounds like.
'David Pumpkins always comes to mind as just, like, the weirdest thing we ever got on. And I love the idea of future generations trying to figure it out, as well,' said Moynihan, who added that he was drawn to 'amazing, weird sketches.'
FAVORITE SKETCHES: 'Toilet Death Ejector,' an infomercial flogging an 'elegant' solution to avert the indignity of dying on the commode, and 'Monkey Trial,' featuring, yes, a monkey but not one on trial — one presiding over it.
'Those are two quality Simon Rich premises executed,' said Mulaney, who wrote the former with frequent collaborators Rich and Marika Sawyer and the latter with Rich. Both sketches date to Mulaney's hosting stints.
FAVORITE SKETCH: 'Plato's Cave' from the Not Ready for Prime Time Players era, where Steve Martin plays a beatnik, and 'The Swan,' a parody of a 2000s reality show.
'I remember seeing there was a horrible reality show called 'The Swan' where they did this massive plastic surgery on people. And I think they did a parody of that with Amy Poehler and a bunch of other people. And it was the first time I'd seen her and I was like, 'My God, this girl is so good,'' Newman said. 'But as far as our show, I think that this one sketch called 'Plato's Cave' or the beatnik sketch, is, I think, a really good representation of our show. And it's the whole cast.'
WHY 'SNL' ENDURES: There's a long list of people responsible, she says, but atop that list? Show creator Lorne Michaels.
'The fact that the show has remained relevant is because of the approach that Lorne has, which is that he always has new people, whether they be writers or performers with new perspectives and original ideas and characters,' Newman said. 'And that's, I think, what moves the show along in terms of tone and relevance.'
FAVORITE SKETCH: 'What's Up With That?' a recurring series with Kenan Thompson as a game show host.
'Part of the reason I put it in there is because I feel very proud of the group, the generation I came up on and through the show … both on camera and behind the scenes,' Sudeikis said, noting the 'real wild' cameos like Robert De Niro and Robin Williams.
WHY 'SNL' ENDURES: It has good people, and they know where the line is.
'We work with brilliant people. I think we all have a pretty solid sensibility, where we kind of know where the offense is and we work really hard trying not to tread in places that are uncomfortable or whatever without warrant,' the longtime cast member said. 'But at the same time, I can't please everybody and we're still trying to like, like lighten the mood, if you will. So, you know, we're doing that as long as we're not like overly stepping — like if you step on a toe, you say, 'I'm sorry. Excuse me.' Then that should be OK. … We should be able to just move on and continue to explore or continue conversations that may or may not be uncomfortable. That's kind of our job.'
WHY 'SNL' ENDURES: At its heart, it's a variety show.
'I think with a show like 'SNL,' we have the latitude to be a little variety show and give you different sensibilities and different parts of that, different perspectives. I love it,' the current cast member said. 'It's a very pluralistic place for comedy because it's one of the last places where you can sort of have a grab bag of different kinds of stuff.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Maher advises Democrats to ‘win' Elon Musk ‘back'
Comedian and media pundit Bill Maher is advising Democrats to 'win' back tech billionaire Elon Musk after the world's richest man fell out publicly with President Trump. Maher slammed some Democratic strategists' proposal that the party needs to have its own version of Joe Rogan. Instead, Maher said, Democrats should ask themselves why they lost 'the old one' since he 'used to be on your side.' 'He's expressed unease with some things Trump is doing, as has a certain disgruntled former employee named Elon Musk, who, like Joe, is another guy who, five years ago, was thought of as a liberal but got driven into the other camp by bad attitudes and bad ideas, a reversal I completely understand, although I would never emulate,' Maher said Friday night on HBO's 'Real Time with Bill Maher.' 'They tried real hard to cancel Rogan a few years ago, and when Elon hosted Saturday Night Live in 2021, well before he was a Trumper, some of the cast members gave him the cold shoulder for the sin of being rich. You think people don't remember when you do this s— to them that it's not going to have blowback,' the comedian said, alluding to Musk's previous support for Democratic candidates, including former Presidents Biden and Obama. 'Now me again. You don't have to win me back, because I never left. But all the guys in America like Joe and Elon, yeah, you do have to win them back. The good news is you can,' he added on Friday night. Maher then pointed to Musk's recent criticism of the administration, including his disappointment with Trump's 'big, beautiful bill.' Trump said Thursday at the White House that he had a 'great' relationship with Musk, but that might not be the case anymore. The tech billionaire and former Department of Government Efficiency adviser then fired back, signaling he is open to forming a third party, backing calls for Trump to be impeached and accusing the president of being listed in the Jeffrey Epstein files. Trump warned that he could opt to cut off Musk's companies' contracts with the federal government. 'So I think we call that a gettable voter, someone who's mulling a change,' Maher said of Musk. 'Maybe this will put quietest to the nonsense that Elon and Rogan too went to the dark side.' Ever since suffering heavy losses during the 2024 election cycle, Democrats are looking to rebuild their image, shore up their base and find ways to effectively counter Trump. The party is also looking for its next leader. Democrats have also expressed frustration about efforts to bring men into their coalition who, in November, backed Trump over former Vice President Harris. The GOP did a better of job of speaking to men during the race, particularly younger men, through mediums such as podcasts. 'They kicked our a‑‑es all over the place with these guys,' one top Democratic strategist told The Hill. 'They met male voters exactly where they were and we, on the other hand, had nothing comparable.' At least one House Democrat is open to wooing back Musk, who previously was a Democratic Party donor, into the party's tent. 'If Biden had a big supporter criticize him, Trump would have hugged him the next day. When we refused to meet with @RobertKennedyJr, Trump embraced him & won. We can be the party of sanctimonious lectures, or the party of FDR that knows how to win & build a progressive majority,' Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said in a Thursday post on social media platform X.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
US Open '25: DeChambeau's sand save an all-time memory at golf's most punishing major
It only feels right that the reigning titleholder at the golf championship that, at least in theory, anyone can win is the player who leans into the role of the sport's most relatable everyman, Bryson DeChambeau. And it only feels right that at the U.S. Open — a tournament built to humble and punish the best in the game as much as celebrate them — DeChambeau earned his title by hitting a shot that virtually no man can hit. A plaque now sits outside the bunker on the 18th hole at Pinehurst No. 2, enshrining the spot where DeChambeau placed his name in the history books with what he called 'the shot of my life' — a 55-yard blast from the sand to 4 feet with the trophy hanging in the balance on Sunday at last year's Open. Defense of the title begins Thursday at Oakmont, getting ready to host its record 10th U.S. Open and a course with a longtime reputation for being as difficult as they come. All of which seems to suit the 31-year-old pro golfer/social media star just fine. His first U.S. Open title came in 2020 at Winged Foot, the course best known for producing the 1974 'Massacre at Winged Foot' along with Phil Mickelson's meltdown in the trees and trash cans more than 30 years later. Then, last year, that bunker at Pinehurst. What would golf's everyman say to his millions of YouTube followers who someday might encounter their own version of the 50-yard bunker shot, widely recognized as one of the most difficult in the game, even under normal circumstances? 'The best piece of advice I give them is, just practice in weird, unique situations for maybe an hour a week, 20 minutes, whatever,' DeChambeau said. 'But try to be different and don't just hit the same stock shot every time.' A history-making shot in a tournament that does not produce them All the major championships have their own personalities. The Masters produces roars through the pines during back-nine charges on Sunday. The British Open is a brittle links-style test where players have to think differently about getting from Point A to Point B. America's golf championship has a reputation for forcing the best players to suffer like the rest of us. As a result, the list of 'greatest shots of all time' at the U.S. Open is a short one: — Ben Hogan's 1-iron on the 72nd hole that helped force a playoff at Merion in 1950. — Arnold Palmer's lash with driver to the first green at Cherry Hills in 1960. — Jack Nicklaus' 1-iron that hit the flagstick on No. 17 at Pebble Beach in 1972. — Tom Watson's chip from the rough on the same hole 10 years later to beat Nicklaus. — Tiger Woods' 12-foot putt at Torrey Pines in 2008 to force a playoff he eventually won over Rocco Mediate. And now, there is DeChambeau's bunker shot. 'When he took this big swing, the amount of confidence that you have to have to hit it that close to the golf ball and not accidentally catch too much ball and send it on top of the clubhouse, it's a very fine line," said NBC golf analyst Smylie Kaufman, whose biggest brush with pressure came when he played in the final group Sunday at the 2016 Masters. 'They work every single day, every week at these facets of the game in hopes they will have an opportunity to try it,' said Notah Begay, also of NBC. 'I think one of the most overlooked things about professional golf is all the calculation that happens on the fly in evaluating certain shots, which way the grass is lying, where the ball's going to land, and on top of all the normal things.' A tournament for everyone could come down to Bryson, Rory, Scottie Maybe the biggest irony is what the U.S. Open officially sells itself as, versus what always ends up happening. More than 10,000 players signed up to qualify for the U.S. Open which is, officially, open to any professional, or amateur with a handicap of 0.4 or lower. There will be good stories to tell among those who went through qualifying to make the 156-man field: a 17-year-old high schooler from Georgia, a dentist in Indiana who used to caddie at Oakmont. The cold facts: The last man to run the gauntlet of local and sectional qualifying to win the title was Orville Moody in 1969. (Lucas Glover went through sectional qualifying only when he won in 2009.) By the time the sun starts going down on Sunday, the tournament almost certainly will come down to a handful of players who virtually all golf fans have heard of. Though Scottie Scheffler is playing the best right now and Rory McIlroy recently won the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam, it's plausible to think that DeChambeau captures the attention of more of those fans than anyone. He recently surpassed 2 million subscribers on his YouTube channel. He is making golf feel like everyman's sport, posting videos in which he makes a hole-in-one with a wedge shot over his house, plays with off-the-rack clubs to see how they stack up and tries to beat a scratch golfer while playing left-handed. All of it sounds nutty, but it all goes back to that piece of advice he offered when asked how to replicate the improbable under impossible circumstances — i.e., a 50-yard bunker shot with the U.S. Open on the line. 'Once you get a stock shot down and you're comfortable with it, go have some fun,' DeChambeau said. 'Do a chipping contest with your amateur friends and throw it in the bunker from 50 yards, or throw it in a bush and see if you can get out. Stuff to that extent has suited my game very well.'
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
All The ‘Love Island USA' Couples Who Are Still Together From Every Season
The texts are rolling in as a new season of Love Island USA kicked off on June 3 on Peacock. As you watch, you might be wondering which couples from past seasons are still together, especially the fan-favorite pairs from the Season 6. Based on the popular UK series of the same name, Love Island USA premiered in 2019 and follows a group of contestants, called Islanders, who are searching for love and competing for a $100,000 cash prize. Throughout the show, the Islanders must couple up, compete in challenges that test their relationships, and navigate the arrival of new 'bombshells,' forcing them to decide whether to stay with their current partners or couple up with someone new. The seventh season of the dating show is currently underway – and a lot has happened in the first week, including 27-year-old Yulissa Escobar getting kicked out of the villa in the middle of the night after podcast videos resurfaced of her using racial slurs ahead of the premiere. If you're wondering where your favorite Love Island USA couples are now, including the standout Season 6 cast, there's good news. Peacock has greenlit a spinoff series tentatively titled Love Island: Beyond the Villa. The show will reunite some Islanders from Season 6 as they arrive in Los Angeles 'to navigate new careers, evolving friendships, newfound fame and the complex relationships they cultivated at the villa,' according to NBC. As fans await the premiere of Love Island: Beyond the Villa and the Season 7 finale in five weeks, here's a look at which couples from all seasons are still together. Read on to find out which Love Island USA couples are still together after leaving paradise. (Spoiler: None of the pairs from Seasons 1 through 4 lasted, so we're picking things up with Season 5.) Status: In a relationship Taylor Smith and Carsten 'Bergie' Bergersen met on the fifth season of Love Island USA and are still happily together. The pair will be celebrating their two-year anniversary in August. Bergersen posted a heartfelt post on Instagram for Taylor's birthday in February. "Happy Birthday to the Love of my Life @taylor98smith!" he penned in the caption. "Taylor you have been the best thing to ever happen to me. You have helped me become a better man with all the challenges life has faced us with since leaving the villa. I couldn't imagine going through life without you." He also thanked Taylor for supporting 'every decision I have made' and believing he 'could do it" – even when he had doubts. "You were everything I was looking for in the villa. I can't way to go through this next year of life with you, whether we're cuddling with stuffed animals, hanging out with family, using chopsticks because you taught me how to use them, listening to Tate McRae for the millionth time, or just living life together. I love you babe! Happy Birthday!' Status: Engaged Wedding bells are ringing for Love Island USA couple Marco Donatelli and Hannah Wright! The couple recently got engaged on May 28 on the beach in Punta Cana, becoming the first pair from the series to reach the exciting relationship milestone. Donatelli told People he began planning the surprise proposal 'nine months' ago and finalized the details in December 2024. "Here we are, the Dominican Republic. This is about us but most importantly it's about you and everything you have done to change my life over the past two years. You are my pride, my joy, and my everything," Donatelli said in a video of the proposal posted to Instagram. Meanwhile, Hannah shared that she was 'shocked' and unaware that the proposal would happen during their getaway. "I was convinced that we were solely there for a vacation trip," Wright told the magazine. 'I was crying the whole time the setup was beautiful and felt like a dream.' Status: In a relationship Season 6 winners Kordell Beckham and Serena Page are still together following their Love Island USA victory. After leaving the villa, Kordell moved to Los Angeles, where Serena was living – but they're not living together just yet. Serena told People that they want to get engaged before living together. "No apartment. There's none of that. The next step would be engagement," she clarified. 'And we need some time for that... This is my apartment. My finger's empty and so is my apartment. I can live with you when we're engaged.' The couple also gave an update to Cosmopolitan, where Serena said she loves how considerate and sweet Kordell is. "He hypes me up and makes me feel so comfortable... comfortable enough to do weird stuff!' she added. Status: In a relationship Season 5 Love Island USA favorites Leah Kateb and Miguel Harichi are also still together. In December 2024, Harichi confirmed to US Weekly that things are 'going great' between the pair. "It's never a boring moment for us,' he said. 'The relationship is just progressing. I love her more and more every day.' Although they're not engaged or married yet, TikTok users were quick to point out that he often refers to Leah as his 'wife' in videos, which he later clarified. 'She's not my wife legally,' he said to the outlet. 'We haven't gone and got married, but for me, I just view her as my wife. When I date, I date for marriage. I don't see any short-term things. Even though we aren't married yet, I just view her as my woman, my second half, my wife. For me, it's another way of putting her as my queen, my princess.' Status: In a relationship JaNa and Kenny are still happily together and are slated to appear in Love Island: Beyond the Villa alongside the Season 6 main cast later this summer. They officially became boyfriend and girlfriend shortly after leaving the villa. 'My biggest priority is to make sure Kenny feels comfortable at all times,' JaNa told Us Weekly in August 2024 when asked about their engagement timeline. 'He keeps me stable. So whatever he wants, I want!' Their one-year anniversary is coming up on Aug. 9, and Kenny told the magazine that he has a special surprise planned for the milestone. 'There's a trip. There's a trip planned. They're in the works,' he teased. 'That's all I can say. She's dropping subtle hints.' JaNa added, 'I asked him if we could go to Italy for our one-year, so …' Love Island USA Season 7 is airing daily, except for Wednesdays, on Peacock. Check out the full release schedule below.
