Teyana Taylor Hosting’s Best Sketch

The newly minted Oscar nominee brings her acting chops and charm to Studio 8H on this dark weekend in the country. Photo: Will Heath/NBC

Well, it’s a dark weekend for this country. It’s actually nothing new, Saturday Night Live has been tackling national tragedies for a long time anyway. Dealing with the ICE killing of Alex Preti in Minneapolis has always been difficult in a sketch comedy format, especially when you don’t have a lot of time to prepare. So while it’s not entirely SNL’s fault for not always having that moment in this episode, there was enough awareness about Minneapolis (in addition to the usual Trump focus) that the episode didn’t feel completely gritty.

New Oscar nominee Teyana Taylor is the latest host to have her acting talent wasted, but her energy and game shined even if the script wasn’t all that appealing. In a fascinating monologue, Taylor claimed that she doesn’t like being the center of attention, but she showed us footage that proves that she actually loves being in the spotlight all the time. For those who only know Taylor from her film and music backgrounds (or those who don’t know her at all), this book is a great introduction to her diverse skills and accolades. (She first appeared on MTV’s My Super Sweet Sixteen and won for The Masked Singer, and is currently attending culinary school.) And the kicker with the kids “cheering” for her from the audience was cute.

In the sketches, Taylor was occasionally able to show off her singing and dancing talents. Especially when he played an 87-year-old bald man who descended on Earth, Wind and Fire for his grandson’s wedding. (There’s an amusingly obvious stunt dancer change towards the end.) But for the most part, she wasn’t really the focus. She and Kenan Thompson shared vocals as Gate Agent Shrimp & Grits, but their song about a plane delay is only mildly funny. James Austin Johnson’s drunken pilot is perhaps the most memorable part, as he instantly sobers up with Pedialyte.

While some of our assumptions were strong, the execution left a lot to be desired. Ashley Padilla anchored the Confidence class sketch, and Taylor appeared as one of many students who openly criticized their coach’s supposed confidence. It’s especially funny when the coach silently skips the rest of the slideshow at the end. And the PBS show “Beyond the Headlines” took right criticism at tone-deaf white liberals who continue to emphasize the unprecedented nature of the federal occupation in Minneapolis without remembering that law enforcement has waged countless wars against Black Americans. SNL has aired a similar version before, and while the point is well taken, I can’t help but feel like it’s a bit of a distraction from the urgency of what’s going on — or a way to shirk from addressing what happened to Alex Preti head-on. I get that no one wanted to talk about it or joke about it, but there was at least a chance to take some risks here, and the episode fell short.

The main points are:

You see, this wasn’t to my taste. Because President Trump’s established narcissism and ego have already been thoroughly lampooned (if you can use that word) on this show, and there are much bigger things to criticize now. But at least there’s an acknowledgment that the first Trump acts as a distraction from what’s going on at ICE, and there are some funny moments that adapt typical Trump to an awards show setting. For example, during the award reading, I snorted when I saw the three-camera shots taken from different angles, and when I heard the multiple Best Kiss nominees for “Trump’s Ass” and the words “Eric, go to bed!” I wouldn’t mind seeing more Elon Musk in Mike Myers.

Considering Taylor just received an Oscar nomination for the role, it makes sense that Paphidia Beverly Hills would appear in some capacity in this episode. But I didn’t expect her to come like this. I was surprised at how much I laughed at this, especially compared to most of this episode. It’s definitely hilarious to hear kids quote lines like “My name is Jungle Pussy” and “Do you like black girls? I love them!” I hate that some of the action figures actually appeal to me, like Paul Thomas Anderson’s brother — that Snap-on pregnant belly? Light up joints!? 50 desert roads with “lots of rolling hills”? Some of these will really sell among the private crowd, especially from the larger master sets.

Your mileage may vary depending on this. Lisa Salters, who played Taylor, had nothing to do except say “come on” over and over again, but the wording of James Austin Johnson’s shoe-horned Kuef advertisements sometimes bothered me, especially in the network comedy overlay that kept appearing at the bottom of the screen. That’s about it.

This week’s update featured some of the best jokes, including Che’s jabs at Ghislaine Maxwell and Stevie Wonder. (Sorry, the two shouldn’t be grouped that way.)

And while I hate that SNL lazily relies on sketches revolving around Gen Z slang, the appearance of Marcello Hernandez as a translator made me laugh, mostly when it comes to roasting Colin. (Once he uses a word, it quickly becomes obsolete.) I appreciated the tombstone notch, “hat,” “chopped,” and seven other phrases at once in the memorial.

Jeremy Culhane also debuted a new character called Mr. On Blast, who delivers lame sentences insulting billionaires. I’m not sure he’s talented enough to succeed as a recurring character in Update, but his appearance here is entertaining enough, especially with the synths.

A solid sketch to close out the show, with Martin Herlihy offering tips on how to get your partner to break up with you. I still find this to be more theoretically funny than actually funny, but it’s worth applauding the fact that it allowed more of Herlihy’s solo work to air.

• I’m not someone who has any special feelings for Geese anyway, but I liked the two performances here.

• “Hey, what do you think ‘kuef’ stands for? Queer chef?” “No more guessing, Troy.”

• “Taylor Swift is the second-youngest person to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame after Stevie Wonder. The difference with Taylor is that you can’t just say she’s a shield.”

• “Experts believe China’s declining number of children could have a devastating impact on my sneaker collection.”

• “Opening soon: your aunt.”

I’m not a big fan of Che’s joke about Colin being sexually abused, but I laughed at this joke, especially Colin’s response, “That wasn’t a rehearsal.”

• As a reality TV fan who watches “Survivor” and “The Traitors,” “Backstab Island” should have been right at my doorstep. However, I feel like there’s a bit of confusion as to what type of shows it’s targeting. Despite ostensibly interpreting the reality of a competition based on deception, the one-liners feel more Bravo-esque. (The same goes for throwing guava juice.)

• I like the idea of ​​a contestant that completely subverts the traditional “I’m not here to make friends” philosophy, and Taylor plays the role well. (“I’m here to make friends. The only reason I’m here. I love people.”) But it also feels like a lot of Survivor contestants these days are the type who care more about making friends than plotting.