With Saturday Evening Dwell’s fiftieth Anniversary celebration in full swing on the 2025 TV Schedule, solid members and hosts alike are divulging all of the behind the scenes particulars from the previous half-century. If the SNL50: Past Saturday Evening docuseries taught me something, it’s that an episode of the present goes by way of quite a few modifications earlier than it airs, typically as much as minutes earlier than airtime Cheri Oteri remembers a sketch that was altered a number of completely different instances at visitor star Snoop Dogg’s stunning request, however it truly ended up making it higher.
Cheri Oteri was a daily solid member from 1995-2000 and might be finest recognized for her recurring Barbara Walters impression. When she just lately guest-hosted TODAY’s Jenna and Pals, Oteri recalled a sketch written for musical visitor Snoop Dogg, during which she interviews the rapper as Walters. In line with the Grown Ups 2 actress, the “Drop It Like It’s Sizzling” rapper requested Oteri embrace not one, however 4 of his cousins within the sketch, leaving her scrambling. In the long run, all of it labored out, and her reasoning behind the answer is humorous:
You noticed within the again his bodyguards had been his cousins. I didn’t know what to do with them. So I used to be like, ‘All proper, you’ll be Snoop’s bodyguards since you simply by no means know when Barbara’s going to snap.’
After all, the bodyguards are supposed to be a bit intimidating within the sketch, as they encompass Oteri and Snoop. The SNL alum’s TODAY co-host, Jenna Bush Hager, additionally makes certain to notice that in 1997, when the episode premiered, the general public’s notion of the “Younger, Wild & Free” rapper was a bit completely different than at this time. She particularly stated:
By the way in which, that is not the finest good friend (of) Martha (Stewart) Snoop. That was the Snoop of yesteryear.
It’s fairly fascinating how the rapper has remodeled through the years right into a nationwide media character, most notably creating a beloved friendship with Martha Stewart. It’s turned out to be a gold mine for TV networks and stand-up comedians alike, with many joking in regards to the seemingly mismatched pair’s distinctive dynamic.
Whether or not it was his cute friendship with Martha or the copious quantities of weed he nonetheless smokes to today (though he did have a quick sober period), nowadays he’s thought-about, as Oteri places it, “America’s sweetheart.” I can’t disagree, as his facet quests on the 2024 Summer time Olympics in Paris had been a few of my favourite elements of the broadcasts. Nevertheless, to the TODAY host’s level, his on-screen second with Oteri’s Barbara Walters was again earlier than his healthful period.
Again within the day, the Voice host was considerably of a daily face in Studio 8H, having made 4 appearances within the present’s 50-year run, as soon as as host and 3 times as a musical visitor. He was additionally one of many many massive names flown in for the fiftieth anniversary weekend, performing on the SNL fiftieth Anniversary Live performance this previous Friday. His musical set, during which he smoked a joint on stage whereas rapping hits like “Gin & Juice” and “Final Dance With Mary Jane,” was his first time on the long-lasting late evening comedy present since 2004. So I’d say he’s a bit overdue.
In an ideal world, I’d like to see him and Martha Stewart host an episode collectively, because the well-known prepare dinner has but so as to add the internet hosting gig to her resume. Nevertheless, I’d additionally accept Ana Gasteyer’s hilarious SNL impression of the best-selling creator. And maybe Barbara Walters (a.ok.a Oteri) will return to interview the bestie duo… with out the bodyguards this time.
You’ll want to try the extremely anticipated SNL fiftieth Anniversary Particular, airing February sixteenth at 8 p.m. EST on NBC. It’s going to even be out there to stream with a Peacock subscription.