Ariana Grande returned to Saturday Night Live for the second time last night as host. This time, she brought musical guest Stevie Nicks, who sang the classic hit “Edge of Seventeen” and her new anthem about reproductive rights, “The Lighthouse.”
Grande, fresh off her role as Glinda in the upcoming Wicked film, kicked things off with a playful musical monologue, teasing fans with her famous impressions of Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Gwen Stefani and Celine Dion — some of which she reprised again later in the night.
Whether she was belting out a bridesmaid’s parody of Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso,” spoofing Dion in a UFC promo or playing off of fellow impressionist Chloe Fineman as Jennifer Coolidge’s reflection, Grande kept the audience laughing.
Though it was technically Grande’s third time to appear on SNL (she hosted it once before in Season 41 and was a musical guest in March of this year), she made it clear that when she’s hosting, it’s not a question of which diva she’ll imitate — but how many!
‘Family Feud’: 2024 election edition
The cold open once again featured the 2024 election players, with Maya Rudolph reprising her impression as Vice President Kamala Harris and Jim Gaffigan returning as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in a special election-themed edition of Family Feud hosted by Kenan Thompson as Steve Harvey.
Andy Samberg also returned to the stage as second gentleman Doug Emhoff, or as he called himself during the sketch, “Doug the Shrug,” as did Dana Carvey as a half-asleep President Biden, who was conscious enough to bring the president’s famous one-liners: “Anyway … and guess what … and by the way … the show’s great. I’m being serious right now.”
On the Republican side, Thompson’s Harvey introduced Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson) as “the man who evicted me from my apartment in 1982.”
Noticeably missing, however, was former first lady Melania Trump. “I could have sworn she was standing right beside me about two years ago,” Johnson said as Trump. The real Harris gave Rudolph’s impersonation her seal of approval on The View last week, gushing, “[Rudolph] had the whole thing — the suit, the jewelry, everything. Wow, the mannerisms!”
Who’s hosting next?
Oct. 19: Michael Keaton with musical guest Billie Eilish
Nov. 2: John Mulaney with musical guest Chappell Roan
