Saturday Night Live Recap: Lady Gaga Returns

Lady Gaga has made three musical guest appearances on Saturday Night Live, yet she performed double duties just once, back in 2013 – a time early in her career, before the release of A Star Is Born. At that point, she was promoting her album Artpop and her most notable acting credit was a supporting role in Machete Kills. Over the last decade, Lady Gaga has significantly expanded her talents as both a musician and an actor, making her recent performance on this show all the more enjoyable. Her natural charm and dedication bring energy and life to one of the livelier episodes of season 50.

Quite a few of those sketches often incorporated singing or dancing, seeing as one has such an exceptional voice, why not take advantage of it? Naturally, Gaga outshone the real musical performances in that episode. The glass-house choreography for the hit single “Abracadabra” was tight and confined, while the grandiose production of “Killah” stretched from backstage to a climactic moment when her dress magically tore away.

The essence of Lady Gaga’s performance is her authenticity, which perfectly complemented a series of peculiar (yet praiseworthy) skits. The initial skit, heavy on green screen effects, humorously revolved around ‘rideable luggage.’ In this scenario, Gaga grappled with the choice between her beloved boyfriend and her dreams of moving to Paris to become a chef. However, the humor predominantly stemmed from her and her fellow suitcase-riders shouting “go around!” at passing cars on the highway. The funeral home skit introduced some morbid humor, particularly when an unusual pair of funeral planners (Heidi Gardner and Gaga) proposed a murder mystery theme to honor a man who was murdered, with the case still unsolved. Eventually, their obsession with the Roaring ’20s allowed for a swift costume change as Gaga and Gardner transformed into flappers.

Although this episode didn’t consistently make me laugh out loud, I enjoyed its lighthearted and whimsical vibe, as well as its daring to explore the strange and bizarre. It’s not often that you witness a heart-removal ritual on SNL, but such events are possible when one fibs about their birthday for a free sundae!

Here are the highlights:

Lady Gaga Monologue

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=3JoK3nfHruQ&list=PLS_gQd8UB-hJGh39cxZs-PVWm5F_6hE_O&index=3

It’s clear that Lady Gaga’s charm and brilliance can’t be denied. During the monologue, it was refreshing to spend time with Stefani Germanotta, who showed both confidence and self-effacement. She kicked off the show by reminding us of her acting skills, then joked about being older than some other pop stars and even compared Tate McRae to her grandmother! She also acknowledged that the last time she hosted, R. Kelly was a guest performer. Later, she poked fun at the performance of “Joker: Folie à Deux” and its Razzie awards, promising not to do “Joker 3.” Bowen Yang’s reaction as a superfan in her presence was also amusing, as I can imagine many people feeling the same way.

Pip: A Dan Bulla Short

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=TuJnblwWLIs&list=PLS_gQd8UB-hJGh39cxZs-PVWm5F_6hE_O&index=17

Some people might say that the recent Dan Bulla short film titled “Pip’s Weightlifting Challenge” overstays its welcome, offering a charming but rather humorless narrative about a mouse named Pip who enters a weightlifting competition at his human high school. As you may guess, things take a grim turn towards the end: The school’s roof caves in on all of Pip’s bullies, leaving him to rescue them. However, just as he’s about to save them, Pip allows Marcello Hernandez – the obnoxious jock bully – to perish instead, resulting in a shocking (if you aren’t prepared for it) scene of blood splattering as the bully is crushed. One of Gaga’s sympathetic classmates stands out, particularly when she questions Pip near the end: “It became too much, didn’t it? It was an accident, right, Pip?

Wonderful Tonight

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=GFH7tINxGng&list=PLS_gQd8UB-hJGh39cxZs-PVWm5F_6hE_O&index=8

Kudos to Bowen Yang, who got not just one but two chances to perform alongside Lady Gaga in this episode! Their voices blend beautifully as they dance near a rendition of Eric Clapton’s famous ballad at an upscale restaurant. If the skit struggles with the common “we didn’t know how to conclude this” issue, it still delivers some big, surprising jokes. The funniest moment is when Yang cracks a humorous remark: “I’ve recently come across some cash. There were no tissues around, so I had to disperse it somewhere, and where better than a stack of twenties?

“Weekend Update”: Lord Gaga, heir to the Gaga textile empire

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=DkJ221t0h5Y&list=PLS_gQd8UB-hJGh39cxZs-PVWm5F_6hE_O&index=6

In my humble opinion as a film critic, this week’s episode didn’t quite reach the grim heights of the post-inauguration special, but Kenan Thompson, in character as Kendrick Perkins, delivered some solid laughs, especially when he playfully removed his beard to wipe sweat. Michael Che and Colin Jost also had a few moments that hit the mark, including the amusingly gruesome blood donation joke. However, the true highlight was Mikey Day’s portrayal of Lord Gaga, the British aristocrat husband of Lady. His performance was filled with clever one-liners (“I was simply born this way,” for instance) and a delightful mix of humor and character depth. The best part? The jab at Colin Jost himself, suggesting it would be a living nightmare if a man’s wife earned more than he did. While I believe Jost is financially secure, he always makes an excellent target for jokes.

No More Slay

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=-xzXSPAGNwY&list=PLS_gQd8UB-hJGh39cxZs-PVWm5F_6hE_O&index=13

Saturday Night Live sometimes seems disconnected when it satirizes modern slang, especially when it comes to terms like “slay” and African-American Vernacular English (AAVE). However, making a catchy tune out of “slay” for the second duet between Lady Gaga and Yang was a clever move. The sketch lost some momentum with other examples such as “bops” and “sus,” but Dismukes delivered a standout line, “And I named my son ‘Mother.’

Cut For Time

Mike Myers reappears for a follow-up to last week’s Elon Musk sketch, focusing instead on this week’s debate between Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It may not be the most striking sequel, but Myers’ over-the-top laughter at his own tiresome jokes continues to provide a hilarious depiction of Musk’s self-amused banter. The knowledge that he probably detests every moment of this is what makes it the tastiest part.

Elon, it’s best if you stick to your area of expertise. However, you’ve compensated me generously for my role.” To which one might respond, “And that’s how I gained control.

In a rebuttal to skeptics questioning Donald Trump, Jr.’s potential presidential win in 2028, Jost quipped, “It seems you’re not well-versed in the political landscape of our world down here.

A significant moment for Ashley Padilla, known for her frequent appearances and bringing some eccentric side characters into the spotlight, such as the woman who lets loose with a “full nuclear” cackle in the L’Oréal easy-run mascara ad. In contrast, it’s puzzling to see Emil Wakim absent. Given my delightful encounter with Devon Walker’s stand-up at Friends and Lovers in Brooklyn back in 2019, his scarcity in the show is regrettable.

In that mascara commercial, the most memorable part is when Heidi Gardner exclaims with genuine emotion, “You know how deeply important my art exhibition was to me!

Incorporate renowned judge Prue Leith from “The Great British Baking Show” into Chloe Fineman’s collection of impersonations, as she stars in this advertisement highlighting the distinctive charm of little red spectacles.

2025-03-09 22:29