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saturday night live

Martin Short and Hozier have celebrated both the holiday season and their respective returns to Saturday Night Live in the latest promo clips released for this weekend’s episode. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The episode, which airs on Saturday (Dec. 21) will be the first musical appearance […]

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Chris Rock’s monologue for SNL jabbed at multiple figures in the news, including Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and the CEO of UnitedHealthcare who was killed in midtown Manhattan.

Last Saturday’s (Dec. 14) episode of Saturday Night Live was hosted by veteran comedian Chris Rock. His opening monologue wasted no time in going after multiple people prominent in today’s news but started off with a playful jab at show director Lorne Michaels for “25 great years of Saturday Night Live!” (The show is currently celebrating 50 years on the air.) Rock was a former cast member on the show from 1990 to 1993 and has hosted SNL three times in 1996, 2014, and 2020. He took a shot at Diddy first by bemoaning having to walk by a pack of “baby oil-sniffing dogs.”

He continued by talking about the capture of Luigi Mangione, the suspected shooter of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in midtown Manhattan earlier this month. “I really feel sorry for the family,” Rock began. “Everybody’s fixated on how good-looking this guy looks. If he looked like Jonah Hill, no one would care. They’d already given him the chair already — he’d be dead. But he actually killed a man — a man with a family, a man with kids. I have condolences. This is a real person, you know? But you also got to go, ‘You know, sometimes drug dealers get shot.’”
The Top Five actor also made sure to roast President-elect Donald Trump and his base of supporters by calling out the history of past American presidents and his proposed plans for mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. “Menendez brothers are getting out of jail — just in time to get deported. Trump is going to deport their ass, you murdering Mexicans!” he quipped before taking aim at tech billionaire Elon Musk. “He’s working with the number one African American in the world. The richest African American in the world: Elon Musk. That’s right. He is African American. Elon’s got more kids than the Cleveland Browns. That’s right. Nobody knows how to get rid of people like a South African.”

Check out the entire monologue above.

Gracie Abrams had lots of new eyes on her during her Saturday Night Live musical-guest debut over the weekend, including Barbra Streisand‘s — and Babs liked what she saw.
Two days after the 25-year-old pop star performed on the live comedy series for the first time ever Saturday, the Broadway legend shared a photo of Abrams singing and playing guitar on the 30 Rock stage and wrote, “I just saw a wonderful new singer named GRACIE ABRAMS (@gracieabrams) on Saturday Night Live this weekend.”

Streisand also pointed out the former Eras Tour opener’s famous parentage. “And it turns out she’s the daughter of my friend JJ Abrams!” the Funny Girl actress wrote, shouting out the Star Wars: The Force Awakens director.

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Gracie performed two tracks on the Chris Rock-hosted episode of SNL, starting with runaway hit “That’s So True.” Released in October as part of her The Secret of Us deluxe album, the track became the California native’s first-ever Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit in November, so far peaking at No. 6.

The star followed it up with “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” a hit from the original The Secret of Us track list, which peaked at No. 19 on the Hot 100 in October. In a recent year-end conversation with Billboard, Gracie spoke about both of the tracks, noting, “When ‘I Love You, I’m Sorry’ ended up being the song that took off the most, I felt like it was — not that we needed it — permission to allow acoustic guitar to remain the driving force behind ‘That’s So True,’ which came from the feeling of living with a burning, fiery rage of jealousy.”

“Seeing the life that song is having right now is psychotic to me,” added the musician, who recently announced a run of North American tour dates in support of her deluxe album.

Streisand also released new music this year, dropping “Love Will Survive” in April for Peacock’s The Tattooist of Auschwitz. “Because of the rise in antisemitism around the world today, I wanted to sing ‘Love Will Survive’ in the context of this series as a way of remembering the six-million souls who were lost less than 80 years ago,” she said of the project in a statement at the time. “And also to say that even in the darkest of times, the power of love can triumph and endure.”

Gracie and the Yentl star also have something else in common: Both are up for awards at the 2025 Grammys. The former is in the running for best pop duo/group performance thanks to her “Us” duet with Taylor Swift, while Streisand earned nods for best song written for visual media thanks to “Love Will Survive” and best audio book, narration, and storytelling recording for memoir My Name Is Barbra.

Chappell Roan gave a standout performance on Saturday Night Live when she served as musical guest in November, but according to the pop star, the live showcase was seconds away from a fashion disaster.
While speaking to Nardwuar for a life-spanning interview published Monday (Dec. 16), Roan opened up about the major wardrobe malfunction that occurred just moments before she went on stage at 30 Rock to sing “Pink Pony Club,” for which she wore a custom white-jeweled floor-length gown. The look — which she complemented with her signature drag glam and faux hips — looked flawless on screen, but that’s only because of some quick thinking from the SNL costumers, Roan says.

“It ripped all the way down the back right before I walked on stage,” the “Hot to Go” singer told Nardwuar, pointing to her neck and lower back to demonstrate how long the tear stretched. “I had to have SNL‘s in-house seamstress … I was sewn into the dress because it ripped all the way down.”

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Roan also performed her unreleased song “The Giver” on the John Mulaney-hosted episode. The country track is expected to appear on the VMA winner’s highly anticipated sophomore album, which will follow her Billboard 200 No. 2 breakout LP The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.

While speaking to Nardwuar, Roan also touched on her recent Grammy nominations, growing up in Missouri, giving a guest lecture on queer identity to Harvard medical students and taking inspiration to work with drag queens on tour from Orville Peck. Plus, the “Good Luck, Babe!” hitmaker detailed meeting Billboard‘s latest cover star Tyler, the Creator, at this year’s Austin City Limits, where both artists performed in October.

“He’s awesome,” she said of the “Sticky” rapper. “He was hiding in the shadows as I got offstage. He was just kind of lurking over in the corner, and my tour manager was like, ‘Hey, Tyler wants to meet you.’ He gave me a lot of good advice about paparazzi — I don’t have paparazzi, but when I do — I took notes. And he thanked me for speaking up about some stuff that I spoke up on.”

Watch Roan’s interview with Nardwuar above.

Gracie Abrams made her first-ever appearance on Saturday Night Live.
During the Dec. 14 episode hosted by Chris Rock, the 25-year-old pop star performed two tracks from her sophomore album The Secret of Us and its deluxe edition, both released in 2024.

Setting a cozy, intimate scene with a candlelit backdrop, a crackling fireplace and soft Christmas lights, Abrams opened with “That’s So True,” a bonus track from the deluxe version. The song, which hit No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November, was delivered with passion as Abrams — dressed in a white shirt and matching bowtie — was accompanied by her backing band.

Explore

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See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Later in the show, Abrams returned to perform “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” a lilting track that peaked at No. 19 on the Hot 100 in October. For the second performance, she switched to a long black gown, while her band members sported black-and-white tuxedos.

Her SNL debut caps an extraordinary year for Abrams, who wrapped up her run opening for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour on Dec. 6. She is also nominated for best pop/duo group performance at the 2025 Grammy Awards for her collaboration with Swift on the song “Us.”

Trending on Billboard

Last week, Abrams announced a new set of North American tour dates for 2025 in support of The Secret of Us deluxe edition. The six-date tour will take her through Canada, the U.S. and Mexico starting July 24 in Boston and ending Aug. 26 in Mexico City. The dates follow her previously announced European and Asian legs in the spring of 2025.

Abrams previously toured North America this fall in support of the original The Secret of Us album, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 after its June release.

SNL is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary season, which began in September and will culminate in a special weekend and live primetime event on Feb. 16. So far this season, Charli XCX has pulled double duty as both host and musical guest, while other notable hosts like Ariana Grande, John Mulaney, and Bill Burr have shared the spotlight with musical guests including Billie Eilish, Mk.gee, Chappell Roan and Jelly Roll.

Watch Abrams’ SNL performances below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.

Saturday Night Live is taking a playful jab at Timothée Chalamet at the premiere of his upcoming film A Complete Unknown.
In a sketch during the Dec. 7 episode, hosted by Paul Mescal, SNL cast member Heidi Gardner plays a fictional BuzzFeed reporter on the red carpet for the debut of the new Bob Dylan biopic, which stars Chalamet as the legendary folk musician. The sketch opens with Chalamet (played by Chloe Fineman) admitting he had a “Brat summer,” a reference to the Charli XCX-inspired trend.

“Oh, man, it was crazy. Nuts,” Fineman’s Chalamet says.

As the two continue their conversation, Dylan (portrayed by SNL’s James Austin Johnson) strolls up and is asked if he too had a Brat summer. “What?” the iconic musician replies. “A Brat summer,” Gardner’s reporter repeats. “Did you have a Brat summer?” Dylan, clearly thinking about food, mistakes the question, thinking he’s being asked about bratwurst.

Trending on Billboard

“All this sausage talk has awoken my hunger,” Johnson’s Dylan says, in the artist’s signature gravelly voice. “I hear there’s a hot bar at the end of this, so if you’ll excuse me.”

The red carpet conversation continues as Bruce Springsteen (played by Andrew Dismukes) joins the group. “Baby, I was born to watch this movie,” the Boss declares. When Dylan asks if Springsteen hit the hot bar, Dismukes’ Springsteen responds, “Sure did, Bob. The vibes might be small but the flavor’s big.”

Next up, U2 frontman Bono (played by Gladiator II star Paul Mescal) steps in. When asked about his own Brat summer, Bono answers, “I didn’t have a Brat summer. Could not possibly. Because of the sweltering heat brought on by climate change. We must act now.” Mescal’s Bono continues, “I just saw a documentary about the devastating effects of global warming. It was called Hot Frosty,” referencing a new holiday Netflix movie.

A Complete Unknown, which hits theaters on Christmas Day, also stars Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro and Edward Norton. The biographical drama is inspired by Elijah Wald’s 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric. Director James Mangold has revealed that Dylan himself gave feedback on the script.

Fans first spotted Chalamet filming in New York earlier this year. Mangold confirmed that Chalamet will do his own singing in the film, and to prepare, the actor sifted through 12 hours of unreleased Dylan tracks sent to him by the musician’s longtime manager and producer Jeff Rosen.

The SNL episode also featured breakout country star Shaboozey, who made his debut as musical guest on the long-running sketch comedy show, performing his 19-week Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” alongside his new ballad “Good News.”

Watch SNL‘s “A Complete Unknown Red Carpet” sketch below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.

Shaboozey brought his massive hit to Studio 8H during his Saturday Night Live debut on Dec. 7.
The 29-year-old breakout country star took the stage as musical guest on the Paul Mescal-hosted episode, performing his 19-week Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” alongside his new ballad “Good News.”

Introduced by Gladiator II star Mescal, the Virginia native opened with “Good News,” his first new single since the release of his third album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 in May.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The song’s wistful lyrics — “I need some good news/ Sittin’ here, sippin’ on cold truth/ Nobody knows what I’m goin’ through/ Bet the devil wouldn’t walk in my shoes” — were underscored by gentle acoustic guitar, plaintive fiddle and a healthy dose of pedal steel.

Later in the show, Shaboozey returned to perform his inescapable hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Dressed in a shiny brown jacket and matching pants, the country star delivered the track in a dimly lit, bar-like setting, surrounded by his backing band.

Trending on Billboard

The SNL appearance marks another milestone in a whirlwind year for Shaboozey. On Thanksgiving, he performed at the halftime of the Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears game at Ford Field, singing “Last of My Kind,” “Highway” and “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Just weeks earlier, he received five Grammy nominations, including nods for best country song and song of the year.

SNL is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary season, which launched in September and will culminate in a special live primetime event on Feb. 16. Next week, Gracie Abrams will make her SNL debut on the Chris Rock-hosted episode, followed by Hozier’s return with Martin Short as host.

Watch Shaboozey’s SNL performances below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.

Shaboozey is ready to get tipsy at 30 Rock, with the 29-year-old breakout country star set to make his Saturday Night Live musical guest debut alongside host Paul Mescal this weekend. And in a new promo video for the episode, ‘Boozey and SNL cast member Chloe Fineman flank the Gladiator II star, who at first […]

Gracie Abrams and Hozier are the latest artists to set their sights on Saturday Night Live as the comedy series nears the end of the year. As announced Monday (Dec. 2), both musicians will serve as musical guests on respective episodes in December, with the “That’s So True” singer-songwriter expected to make her debut Dec. […]

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Source: Tommaso Boddi / Getty
Katt Williams is taking umbrage with Saturday Night Live. He has called out the sketch series for casting a female to parody him and more.

As spotted on Page Six the comedian recently did an interview at the Vulture Festival in Los Angeles. While on stage the Friday After Next star spoke about his historic career and much more. To no surprise he had a very hot take when questioned about the comedy series and how they spoofed him on several episodes. “There has never been a person that has been parodied nine times on Saturday Night Live and yet never been invited other than me,” he explained. “So, I at this point, take it as a badge of honor that they don’t f**k with me.”

When asked on his thoughts about the parodies he made it clear he responded in the most Katt Williams way possible. “A lot of times when people are doing an impression of you, they’re really showing you how they feel about you. You know what I mean?” he said. “So, for Saturday Night Live to have an impression of me and have a woman do that, means they think I’m a b*tch. And I understand that that’s what they’re saying when they do that.”

He would also reflect on his viral interview on Club Shay Shay from January where he alleged that Diddy’s day of reckoning would soon come. “Even if I’m at the Diddy party, I’m there to tell. I’m there to see, Who the f*ck is in here and what do y’all get from being in here? So, nobody likes to have me around. I’m there for bad intentions.” On a recent interview of Nightcap Shannon Sharpe hinted at a second Club Shay Shay interview Katt Williams. You can see him discuss it below.