Latest news with #SNL's'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Saturday Night Live' Season 50 is complete. Now, we're ranking all 20 hosts
In its landmark 50th season, "Saturday Night Live" had a lot going for it: a huge cast of performers with a diverse toolbox of styles and talents, a fine assortment of musical guests (Chappell Roan! Stevie Nicks! Timothée Chalamet?) and celebratory events across multiple channels for its half-century anniversary. And it had 'Lorne' (the biography), of course; creator Lorne Michaels still runs the ship. But on a week-to-week basis, it was the guest hosts who set the tone and helped make or break a particular episode. A great host, one who is game and enthusiastic and eager to play, such as Paul Mescal or Ariana Grande, could elevate an episode way beyond expectations. An otherwise talented guest host having an off week or who was underserved by the material, like Chris Rock or Mikey Madison, reminds you that nothing is certain with "SNL." And an outright bad host (see the bottom) can make the 90-minute show seem interminable and out of touch. Now, let us celebrate the hosts who got it right, brought their A-game, benefited from great sketch writing and support from the cast and crew. Here are the best hosts of Season 50, ranked. It was one of 'SNL's' weirdest episodes, but perfectly tuned for Gaga, who sang in multiple sketches, appeared in mock ads for L'Oreal easy-run mascara and little red glasses for women of a certain age, served at a Satanic restaurant, and memorably rode her rolling luggage to the airport. Not only was she funny and brilliant in the sketches, but she also gave two of the season's most dynamic musical performances with "Abracadabra" and "Killah." Read more: Lady Gaga slays on 'SNL' with musical sketches and performances from 'Mayhem' It was her third time hosting, but it was somehow still a complete surprise how spectacular Grande was in her run-up to the release of "Wicked." Perfect impressions of Celine Dion and Jennifer Coolidge and a ridiculously wrong (and very funny) sketch called "Castrati" were among the highlights of a top-to-bottom ace appearance. Read more: Ariana Grande aces her musical impressions on 'SNL' — especially Celine Dion Like Gaga, the star of "A Minecraft Movie" danced and sang multiple times, most notably in a brief My Chemical Romance homage, "Goth Kid on Vacation." Sometimes good hosting is about bringing lots of energy and commitment; Black went above and beyond on both counts in a wild "Flamin' Hot Preparation H" commercial. Read more: 'SNL' host Jack Black mines some fresh energy, and a word gets past the censors Don't call it recency bias. The "Abbott Elementary" creator and star returned a year after her first-time hosting and once again flexed short-form comedy muscles that made her an online star before TV stardom. Brunson brilliantly played a senior on an OnlyFans-like service, an increasingly punchy insult boxer and a very creative hand gesturer in a follow-up to the classic "Traffic Altercation" sketch. Read more: 'SNL' host Quinta Brunson once again teaches a comedy master class It may have been overshadowed by a Kamala Harris appearance right before the 2024 presidential election, but Mulaney's sixth time as host was just as solid as the rest with a predictably excellent monologue, a silly sketch about a doomed chimp astronaut and another epic Broadway-inspired musical revue about New York City. It's easy to forget how consistently excellent the "Everybody's Live" host is at fronting "Saturday Night Live." Read more: John Mulaney hosts 'SNL' and Kamala Harris appears in cold open A great hosting debut for the actor, who was the perfect Daddy in a "Please Don't Destroy" sketch and very funny in a "Gladiator II" musical. Read more: First-time 'SNL' host Paul Mescal isn't afraid to have fun, and Church Lady returns Maybe it didn't hit the dizzying heights of his 2023 hosting debut, but the sophomore appearance from the stand-up had some solid sketches, including another visit with George Washington. Read more: 'SNL' sees Nate Bargatze return as host, along with another debate cold open The "White Lotus" star delighted as a horny Mother's Day brunch server and a boss with a Squatty Potty in his first time as host. Read more: Walton Goggins hosts 'SNL' for the first time, bringing his oddball energy to the show The season finale host started strong, took off perfectly in an air travel-themed "Please Don't Destroy" video and was game for a brutal "Weekend Update" joke exchange. But the back half of the episode was so rough even a Marvel superhero couldn't save it. Read more: 'SNL': Scarlett Johansson pilots smooth takeoff, rough landing in Season 50 finale Hamm, hosting for the fourth time, was spot-on with turns as a self-defeating game show contestant and a police officer obsessed with pizza. The other sketches just weren't as strong this time. Read more: Amid tariff chaos, 'SNL' mocks 'The White Potus' Donald Trump and his Cabinet Jean Smart, Sept. 28 Bill Burr, Nov. 9 Martin Short, Dec. 21 Timothée Chalamet (also as a musical guest performing Bob Dylan covers), Jan. 25 Charli XCX, Nov. 16 Michael Keaton, Oct. 19 Dave Chappelle, Jan. 18 Mikey Madison, March 29 Chris Rock, Dec. 14 A year after a not-great first run as "SNL" host, Shane Gillis, the stand-up comic who was famously fired from the show was invited back. Why? To appeal to anti-woke dudebros who wouldn't otherwise watch the show? We're not sure, but Gillis' range for sketch comedy runs the gamut from low-energy unfunny to medium-low-energy unfunny. The host's brand also gave the show ostensible permission to push the envelope on stereotypes and gross tropes about race and sex. It even indulged in some slow-witted crudeness about self-fellatio. Two times was plenty; Gillis doesn't need a third crack at this. Sign up for Screen Gab, a free newsletter about the TV and movies everyone's talking about from the L.A. Times. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘Saturday Night Live' Season 50 is complete. Now, we're ranking all 20 hosts
In its landmark 50th season, 'Saturday Night Live' had a lot going for it: a huge cast of performers with a diverse toolbox of styles and talents, a fine assortment of musical guests (Chappell Roan! Stevie Nicks! Timothée Chalamet?) and celebratory events across multiple channels for its half-century anniversary. And it had 'Lorne' (the biography), of course; creator Lorne Michaels still runs the ship. But on a week-to-week basis, it was the guest hosts who set the tone and helped make or break a particular episode. A great host, one who is game and enthusiastic and eager to play, such as Paul Mescal or Ariana Grande, could elevate an episode way beyond expectations. An otherwise talented guest host having an off week or who was underserved by the material, like Chris Rock or Mikey Madison, reminds you that nothing is certain with 'SNL.' And an outright bad host (see the bottom) can make the 90-minute show seem interminable and out of touch. Now, let us celebrate the hosts who got it right, brought their A-game, benefited from great sketch writing and support from the cast and crew. Here are the best hosts of Season 50, ranked. It was one of 'SNL's' weirdest episodes, but perfectly tuned for Gaga, who sang in multiple sketches, appeared in mock ads for L'Oreal easy-run mascara and little red glasses for women of a certain age, served at a Satanic restaurant, and memorably rode her rolling luggage to the airport. Not only was she funny and brilliant in the sketches, but she also gave two of the season's most dynamic musical performances with 'Abracadabra' and 'Killah.' It was her third time hosting, but it was somehow still a complete surprise how spectacular Grande was in her run-up to the release of 'Wicked.' Perfect impressions of Celine Dion and Jennifer Coolidge and a ridiculously wrong (and very funny) sketch called 'Castrati' were among the highlights of a top-to-bottom ace appearance. Like Gaga, the star of 'A Minecraft Movie' danced and sang multiple times, most notably in a brief My Chemical Romance homage, 'Goth Kid on Vacation.' Sometimes good hosting is about bringing lots of energy and commitment; Black went above and beyond on both counts in a wild 'Flamin' Hot Preparation H' commercial. Don't call it recency bias. The 'Abbott Elementary' creator and star returned a year after her first-time hosting and once again flexed short-form comedy muscles that made her an online star before TV stardom. Brunson brilliantly played a senior on an OnlyFans-like service, an increasingly punchy insult boxer and a very creative hand gesturer in a follow-up to the classic 'Traffic Altercation' sketch. It may have been overshadowed by a Kamala Harris appearance right before the 2024 presidential election, but Mulaney's sixth time as host was just as solid as the rest with a predictably excellent monologue, a silly sketch about a doomed chimp astronaut and another epic Broadway-inspired musical revue about New York City. It's easy to forget how consistently excellent the 'Everybody's Live' host is at fronting 'Saturday Night Live.' A great hosting debut for the actor, who was the perfect Daddy in a 'Please Don't Destroy' sketch and very funny in a 'Gladiator II' musical. Maybe it didn't hit the dizzying heights of his 2023 hosting debut, but the sophomore appearance from the stand-up had some solid sketches, including another visit with George Washington. The 'White Lotus' star delighted as a horny Mother's Day brunch server and a boss with a Squatty Potty in his first time as host. The season finale host started strong, took off perfectly in an air travel-themed 'Please Don't Destroy' video and was game for a brutal 'Weekend Update' joke exchange. But the back half of the episode was so rough even a Marvel superhero couldn't save it. Hamm, hosting for the fourth time, was spot-on with turns as a self-defeating game show contestant and a police officer obsessed with pizza. The other sketches just weren't as strong this time. A year after a not-great first run as 'SNL' host, Shane Gillis, the stand-up comic who was famously fired from the show was invited back. Why? To appeal to anti-woke dudebros who wouldn't otherwise watch the show? We're not sure, but Gillis' range for sketch comedy runs the gamut from low-energy unfunny to medium-low-energy unfunny. The host's brand also gave the show ostensible permission to push the envelope on stereotypes and gross tropes about race and sex. It even indulged in some slow-witted crudeness about self-fellatio. Two times was plenty; Gillis doesn't need a third crack at this.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Walton Goggins Interview Shut Down Over Aimee Lou Wood Questions Because ‘There's No Conversation to Be Had About That': ‘What the F—!'
Walton Goggins' new interview with The Times of London is going viral after his U.S. publicist shut it down because writer Ed Potton insisted on asking about the actor's 'White Lotus' co-star Aimee Lou Wood. Rumors of an apparent feud between the two performers have percolated on social media in the wake of last month's 'The White Lotus' Season 3 finale. Goggins starred in the season as Rick Hatchett, with Wood playing his free-spirited girlfriend Chelsea. A sketch on 'Saturday Night Live' that parodied 'The White Lotus' Season 3 went viral after Wood called out the show's 'mean' and 'unfunny' impersonation of her as Chelsea. The sketch featured 'SNL' cast member Sarah Sherman sporting two enlarged front teeth. Wood criticized the bit, while Goggins left a positive comment on 'SNL's' Instagram that read: 'Hahahahahhahaha amazzzingggg.' The comment was later deleted. The incident further boosted speculation about a Goggins-Wood feud, although it was never clear if Goggins was aware of Wood's criticisms of the sketch. More from Variety 'SNL' Sets Scarlett Johansson and Walton Goggins as Hosts With Bad Bunny, Arcade Fire as Musical Guests 'SNL' Star Bowen Yang Calls Aimee Lou Wood's Backlash to 'White Lotus' Spoof 'Completely Valid': 'Parody Can Go Too Far Sometimes' Aimee Lou Wood Reveals Sarah Sherman Sent Her Flowers After 'White Lotus' Star Called Out 'SNL' Parody for Being 'Mean' When asked by The Times of London about Wood, Goggins' British publicist stepped in and asked: 'Shall we talk about 'The Uninvited' a bit more?' Goggins was being profiled by the publication for the release of 'The Uninvited,' a new movie directed by the actor's wife, Nadia Conners. The two have been married since 2011. 'Thinly veiled, my friend,' Goggins then told the interviewer before saying that 'The Uninvited' is 'the thing you're least interested in.' Potton writes in the profile: 'Frankly, yes. 'The Uninvited' is a decent movie but the more interesting stuff lies elsewhere.' Potton tried to bring up Wood again, prompting Goggins to say: 'There is no conversation to be had about that. Sharing politics on social media — it's in a vacuum.' When the interviewer tried one last attempt and talking about Wood, Goggins replied: 'What the fuck, Ed! Come on, buddy. Wow.' 'We're going to end it there,' Goggins' U.S. publicist then said as the interview came to an end. Goggins and Wood are both expected to be Emmy contenders this TV awards season for their work in 'The White Lotus' Season 2. Wood originally called out the 'SNL' sketch on Instagram for being 'mean and unfunny' and later clarified: 'I am not thin skinned. I actually love being taken the piss out of when it's clever and in good spirits. But the joke was about fluoride. I have big gap teeth not bad teeth. I don't mind caricature – I understand that's what 'SNL' is. But the rest of the skit was punching up and I/Chelsea was the only one punched down on.' Wood added in a follow-up post: 'Actually one last thing. Not [Sarah Sherman's] fault. Not hating on her. Hating on the concept.' Sherman sent Wood flowers amid the controversy. Best of Variety Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Netflix in May 2025
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Office' Stars Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer Had a ‘Moving' Set Visit to New Spinoff Series: ‘Not Only Was Oscar There, but Our Crew' as Well
Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey may not be starring in the new spinoff series of 'The Office' from series showrunner Greg Daniels, but the hosts of the 'Office Ladies' podcast made a stop by the set to see the new production in action — and meet up with their former co-star Oscar Nuñez. 'Jenna and I stopped by set,' Kinsey said in an appearance on 'Today' celebrating the original series' 20th anniversary. 'Greg had invited us, and we showed up, and not only was Oscar there, but our crew, so many of these wonderful people. Because the crew was our extended family, and we're still really close with them, and that was really moving to see.' More from Variety Oscar Nuñez Reprising 'The Office' Role in Peacock's Follow-Up Series 'The Office' Gets Polly Pocket Compact: Shop the Limited-Edition Release Online 'The Office' Writer Says 'SNL's' Japanese Office Parody With Steve Carell 'Didn't Feel Right' and Left Him 'Rankled': 'All the Actors Are White People' Nuñez also appeared in the segment and teased his inclusion in the new spinoff. The actor will be reprising his role as Oscar Martinez in Peacock's followup series, which is rumored to be titled 'The Paper.' The story follows staffers at a dying Midwestern newspaper whose publisher is trying to revive it with volunteer reporters. The series comes from Daniels and is executive produced by Michael Koman ('Nathan For You'). No premiere date has been set. 'They're still editing and stuff. More will be revealed!' Nuñez told 'Today.' 'It's exciting. The experience we went through — not everyone gets to do it.' Kinsey and Nuñez joined 'Today' alongside Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Creed Bratton, Kate Flannery and Ellie Kemper. Previously announced cast members for the new 'Office' follow-up series include Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman, Ramona Young and Tim Key. It will retain the same mockumentary style, with the show's in-universe documentary crew that filmed the Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch in 'The Office' now filming in a new location. Kinsey and Fischer have hosted the 'Office Ladies' podcast for more than five years, recapping all nine seasons of the NBC sitcom. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dave Chappelle's scorching prediction on Trump's policies resurfaces amid trade war
An eerie take from Dave Chappelle has emerged as stock markets tumble, and tariffs and retaliations mount as U.S. President Donald Trump brought his trade war to the world. In 2017, the comedian joked about Trump's handling of international relations, calling them 'high people ideas.' On April 2, Trump placed a 34% increase on China when he announced his Liberation Day tariff plans – on top of the previous 20% import taxes rolled out on Beijing. Trump has since pledged another 50% tariffs after Beijing responded to his tariff threat with a 34% increase on U.S. goods coming into China. Neither of the two economic powerhouses appeared ready to back down, with China announcing it would raise tariffs on American goods to 84% and vowed to 'fight to the end.' Americans could now see massive price hikes on iPhones, computers and toys as a result. Elon Musk trashes Canadian Tire shirt-wearing Mike Myers on 'SNL' Elon Musk dumps on 'SNL's' spoof of Trump-Zelenskyy clash and Mike Myers impression Megyn Kelly rips Tom Hanks for 'racist' MAGA skit on 'SNL' The expletive-filled, 'prophetic' clip of Chappelle has since returned to social media, where he joked about bringing manufacturing jobs back to America from China, and the price of iPhones soaring to thousands of dollars. ''All this motherf—–'s ideas sound like high people ideas, like, he doesn't think these things through before he tells us,' Chappelle says in the clip from his Netflix special. 'He just tells us what he's thinking as soon as it occurs to him.' He continued: 'That s— sounds nuts. 'I'm gonna go to China and I'm gonna get those jobs from China and bring them back here to America.' For what? So iPhones can be $9,000?' Chappelle declared: 'Leave that job in China where it belongs. None of us want to work that hard. What the f— is he thinking?' He added: 'I want to wear Nikes – I don't want to make them.' Social media users found it all ironically hilarious. 'The Dave Chappelle joke was a prophecy I guess,' one person wrote. Another added: 'Anti/pro Trump or anti/pro tariff… you got to admit, Dave Chappelle's take was pretty funny.' Trump has long maintained that imposing tariffs on Chinese goods was a strategy to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. His core argument is that tariffs make Chinese imports more expensive, but if U.S. companies produce goods domestically, it will create more jobs for Americans. Earlier this year, Chappelle made Saturday Night Live history with his 17-minute monologue, and devoted some of that time to remind Trump that the presidency is more than just petty politics. 'Remember, whether people voted for you or not, they're all counting on you,' he said to Trump and Americans, via NBC News. 'Whether they like you or not, they're all counting on you. The whole world is counting on you,' he continued. 'I mean this when I say this, good luck. Do better next time. Please, all of us, do better next time.'
