Saturday Night Live Recap: Quinta Brunson Does It For The Shorties

Saturday Night Live has long been a symbol of lofty ambition for aspiring comedians, an esteemed stamp of approval that many strive to attain. However, Quinta Brunson, who had already realized this dream in 2021 with Abbott Elementary and catapulted her to stardom, may not need SNL as much as SNL needs her at this stage. Nonetheless, as she shared in her heartwarming monologue this week, her debut hosting role in 2023 was one of the most memorable nights of her life. This joy was evident throughout her performance, where she effortlessly meshed with the cast and showcased her sketch-comedy talents once more, contributing to another exceptional episode.

A significant part of the monologue was a charming, humorous tune focusing on Brunson’s height, featuring in-game appearances from Sabrina Carpenter, who shares Brunson’s short stature, and Dwyane Wade, despite his towering presence, feeling understood. Throughout the show, Brunson maintained high spirits, dishing out intensely personal compliments during a leadership summit and wildly mimicking elaborate insults while waiting on a ferry. The latter skit, a continuation of an earlier traffic disagreement from Brunson’s debut (recently revisited in the Martin Short episode), might stretch a bit without many fresh twists, but it does have its highlights, such as Mikey Day miming the smell of cocaine to suggest that Brunson’s car has crossed the “line.

In “Two Bitches vs. a Gorilla,” Brunson harmonized effectively with Ego Nwodim and others, as the creative employment of a gorilla’s perspective showcased the two women mercilessly teasing the ape. Kenan Thompson also stood out in this episode, allowing Brunson to shine while still dominating when given the opportunity. Overall, the cast functioned exceptionally well this week, to the point where one might mistakenly believe Brunson was a regular cast member if unfamiliar with her beforehand.

Here are the highlights:

Will & Todd’s Radical Experience

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=RsB7D2kxzBo

In 2025, a reference from the movie “Bill & Ted” might seem a bit outdated (even with the 2020 sequel), but this film offers a compelling concept: Frederick Douglass (portrayed by Thompson) and Harriet Tubman (Brunson) reject the time machine phone booth, for they have no desire to revisit an era of slavery. Notable performances are delivered by both casts, including Marcello Hernández humorously labeling the 1800s as the “1-800s” and Andrew Dismukes powerfully denouncing slavery as “most heinous.

OnlySeniors

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=eU9xGuxI4t0

In this humorous take on OnlyFans, featuring senior characters, the plot leans towards explicit, yet amusing scenarios. Brunson and Thompson play the lively couple who engage in various activities, while Nwodim and Devon Walker portray their embarrassed children. A remote-controlled vibrator adds a comical touch, but the highlight of the sketch could be the occasional reaffirmations of parental authority, prompting swift apologies like “sorry, ma’am” or “yes, sir” from the offspring.

Weekend Update

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=Vj8lVuEUjlI

I sometimes find Colin Jost and Michael Che’s habit of commenting on audience reactions to jokes a bit tiring, and this episode had a lot of discussion about where the acceptable limit lies. However, it’s enjoyable to observe the show pushing the boundaries of its live format, and so far, this season has managed to retain a level of edginess. This is evident in their dark humor (such as Jost’s comment about mowing over a small dog with his lawnmower) or references to current events like the Trump administration. In this particular episode, they made jokes about J.D. Vance assassinating the Pope, RFK Jr. bringing back smallpox, and a topical remark about Homeland Security evaluating migrant tattoos for gang signs by examining them on dark skin.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=wWb03wGXOwY

Additionally, there’s space for some quirky humor, such as Jost’s peculiar fascination with the dolls he can’t acquire this year due to tariffs (as humorously depicted in a segment that resembles Seth Meyers’ “Oh hell no!”). Michael Longfellow added an amusingly eccentric touch by appearing on-screen, refusing the new Real ID rules and preferring a “bullet in his penis” over going to the DMV. I appreciated the self-referential commentary that explained why he hadn’t been seen much this season, which seems rather unusual given his 12-hour work schedule each week.

Addicts Anonymous

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=GmFp66v-TSU

In this version, Thompson portrays a character who overtly seeks cocaine by questioning the other participants at a Narcotics Anonymous gathering. Unlike certain one-liner skits, this one improves as it progresses, thanks to Thompson’s growing transparency and his repeated claims about the addictive substance he calls “the demon” that keeps him hooked. When Brunson, who is leading the meeting, discusses her own street experiences, Thompson inquires, “Which streets are you talking about?

Jerry “Jackrabbit” Tulane

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=11OzKcHQHms

James Austin Johnson consistently excels as a witty, understated host. In this sports documentary, he portrays Jerry Jackrabbit Tulane (Brunson), a boxer who significantly impacted Muhammad Ali. Brunson masterfully plays the role, eliciting chuckles from the irony of his petite stature contrasting with his boastful speech, particularly when his grand words result in repeated knockouts, match after match. As injuries accumulate and his character becomes disoriented, Brunson truly shines.

Cut for Time

Just as anticipated, Benson Boone began his debut performance with a flip, and there were more flips to come throughout the evening. To be honest, I don’t have too many comments about the songs themselves, but Boone delivered admirably, and he even got a chance to play a waiter during Weekend Update.

This week’s cold open centered on Donald Trump’s increasingly absurd or malicious executive orders, with Mikey Day portraying Stephen Miller as a mysterious figure in the shadows and Marcello playing a timid Marco Rubio. The orders ranged from prohibiting interracial relationships in advertisements, simplifying Connections, outlawing ghosts, and granting clemency to “Jackie” Rowling. Additionally, the episode addressed the news about Bill Belichick’s 24-year-old girlfriend early on.

• “They even tried to cast me as a kid on Abbott Elementary, and I wrote that.”

This week, Ashley Padilla isn’t seen too often, but she does have a humorous scene: “Could you wear shorter outfits?” “Sure.

In a subsequent gathering, Bowen Yang once again took on his role as the doctor from the previous Ryan Gosling-themed episode. However, it was Johnson who truly captivated me with his performance of “I might be mistaken, but isn’t that a veiled sexual threat?” in that particular skit.

Fortunately, no deep-sea diver needs an aircraft down here – it’d be quite a sight to see God chuckling over that thought!” (Cinephile speaking)

This week, there were plenty of humorous jabs, particularly during the segment featuring Darlene (Sarah Sherman) and Duke (Bowen Yang), who played Applebee’s regulars with a corporate chain obsession. When they discussed the Asian glaze, Darlene quipped, “I’m not referring to what he does in the handicap stall with me.” These two certainly know how to keep an audience entertained.

The advertisement from Forever 31 is quite appealing, particularly with its standout line: “It conveys a style that whispers, ‘I often ponder the fact that my parents are growing older.'” The mention of Jeff Probst was also a nice touch.

• “You need to evolute.”

2025-05-04 21:57