The Most Memorable Sketches from “Saturday Night Live” Season 49: From Viral Cameos to Hilarious Impersonations
The much-anticipated season finale of “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) is approaching with Jake Gyllenhaal hosting and Sabrina Carpenter performing as musical guest. Before we bid farewell to this extraordinary season, let’s take a nostalgic look at some of the standout sketches that left us in splits.
This season was an exciting rollercoaster ride filled with star-studded cameos, classic comedy bits, and snarky political impersonations. Emma Stone and Kristen Wiig made history by becoming the latest inductees into the five-timers club, while a spoof of two Comedy Central cartoon characters, Beavis and Butt-Head, left us in stitches.
Heidi Gardner’s uncontrollable laughter during the iconic Beavis and Butt-Head sketch with Mikey Day and Ryan Gosling became a viral sensation. Their transformations into the beloved cartoon characters left everyone laughing out loud, and their appearance at Gosling’s “The Fall Guy” movie premiere in character added to the hilarity.
In October, Pete Davidson kicked off Season 49 by hosting and starring in a side-splitting sketch spoofing the Oscar-nominated “Barbie” song “I’m Just Ken.” Davidson’s rendition, titled “I’m Just Pete,” had everyone in fits of laughter.
October also saw Pedro Pascal making a surprise appearance as the judgmental Spanish-speaking mom in a sketch alongside host and musical guest Bad Bunny. Pascal’s impersonation, complete with a wig and pink outfit, added an extra layer of humor to the scene.
Jason Momoa hosted in November and rapped about the viral Roman Empire social media trend in a wild music video sketch. Wearing a gladiator costume and accompanied by backup and restore dancers, Momoa’s performance was an unexpected treat for fans.
In December, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Bowen Yang joined Kate McKinnon in a hilarious sketch framed as a retro paid TV advertisement spoofing a fictional Christmas album by Swedish pop supergroup ABBA. Their performances, complete with holiday twists on classic ABBA songs, had everyone in stitches.
Freshly minted WNBA star Caitlin Clark made a surprise cameo during the “Weekend Update” segment, where she told some shady jokes about Michael Che and even made him read her own jokes. Clark’s quick wit and charm left audiences in awe, and her heartfelt thanks to WNBA legends for paving the way was an emotional touch.
Kenan Thompson and Marcello Hernandez brought laughter to “Weekend Update” when they personified the 2024 total solar eclipse and 4.8 magnitude earthquake, respectively. Their ridiculous portrayals of these natural phenomena were a memorable addition to the season.
When Republican Sen. Katie Britt’s 2024 State of the Union rebuttal went viral, fans wondered which star would impersonate her on SNL. Scarlett Johansson made a shocking appearance in March, hilariously satirizing Britt’s rebuttal with quips like “I’m not just a mother. I’m a wife, a mother, and the craziest b—h in the Target parking lot.”
December host Adam Driver brought an awkward yet memorable sketch to life when he acted as a cranky baby named “little Eddie” on an airplane. His mom paid no mind to his disruptive cries, messy spit-ups, and attempts to put his whole baby fist in his mouth, despite his adult-like facial features and fully-developed speech.
Mikey Day and Maya Rudolph gave it their best shot when they attempted to eat increasingly spicy hot wings on an SNL-inspired version of the internet’s favorite hot wing interview show, Hot Ones. Beyoncé’s assistant, played by Kenan Thompson, helped cool things down with cooling cocoa butter lotion as Rudolph reprised her classic impersonation of the “Texas Hold Em” singer.
Sydney Sweeney’s confession of having a crush on Bowen Yang, who identifies as LGBTQ+ in real life, was the subject of a comical pre-taped sketch from March. The alternate universe scenario where Yang is straight and Sweeney tries to win him over with her charm was a ridiculous yet hilarious addition to the season.
