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‘SNL’ host Quinta Brunson once again teaches a comedy master class

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Last year, during her debut on “Saturday Night Live”, Quinta Brunson – the creator and lead of “Abbott Elementary” – delivered one of the standout hosting acts from the previous year. Her performance was marked by exceptional comedic delivery and memorable characters she introduced to the program.

Her performance on the show wasn’t just a lucky coincidence. Coming back for her second time, Brunson demonstrated once again her knack for injecting humor into every sketch, even with a stellar lineup of fresh content. There was only one repeat, but the return of “Traffic Altercation,” which had been particularly successful earlier, was definitely worth another look.

It’s intriguing to draw parallels between Brunson’s impressive second stint as host and those of Nate Bargatze (Season 49) and Shane Gillis (Season 50). Unlike Bargatze, whose comeback was decent but not quite as stellar as his initial performance, Brunson outshone him. In a surprising turn of events, Gillis, who had a mediocre first attempt as host, significantly underperformed during his second go-round.

In my opinion, Brunson has maintained her comedic prowess from last year. She showcased her humor brilliantly by portraying a humorous take on time-traveling Harriet Tubman alongside Kenan Thompson as Frederick Douglass in a witty spin-off of “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.” The duo found themselves in a predicament, not wanting to return to the past.

Moreover, Brunson delivered some eccentric and hilarious moments playing one of several unconventional attendees at a leadership summit. She also made an appearance as a model for Forever 31’s questionable fashion line, promoting their oversized clothing with her unique charm.

Lastly, I couldn’t help but laugh when Brunson and Ego Nwodim teamed up in “Two B— vs. a Gorilla,” where they engaged in some fierce trash-talking against an intimidating gorilla at the zoo. It was a fun and fresh take on the classic confrontation between humans and animals.

Besides that, she portrayed a comedic, aged boxer named Jerry “Jackrabbit” Tulane, whose humor faded following numerous defeats in the ring. She also starred as one-half of an unanticipated and alluring senior duo in an insurance commercial.

As a film critic, I can’t help but sing praises for Bruson’s exceptional performance this season. Her ability to captivate audiences with her versatile talents was truly a sight to behold. From scoring memorable tunes to delivering a riveting monologue, she proved time and again why she deserves a standing ovation. It’s only fair that she receives an open invitation to return next season; her talent is simply too irresistible to let go.

Musical artist Benson Boone leaped backwards prior to his rendition of “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else,” but skipped the backflip for “Mystical Magical” performance. During a brief Weekend Update segment, he made an appearance as an Applebee’s server, alluding to his popular track “Beautiful Things.” However, this particular tune was not played during the show.

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Just as President Trump has consistently been a headline-grabber throughout this year, he has also repeatedly taken center stage on “SNL” cold opens. This past weekend, James Austin Johnson portrayed a forceful President Trump, issuing a series of executive orders alongside the ominous Stephen Miller (played by Mikey Day, who is increasingly resembling a vampire). The President signed orders to expel “Sesame Street,” along with Elmo (“Destination: El Salvador”), pardoned J.K. Rowling for her transphobic remarks and reinstated Columbus Day in honor of Italian-Americans such as Tony Soprano, Benny Blanco (who is Jewish), and Childish Gambino (the stage name of Donald Glover, who is Black). Marco Rubio (Marcello Hernández) made an appearance for an order to prevent Hispanic babies from getting their ears pierced, while Trump also moved to simplify the New York Times Crossword puzzle, rename “Recession” as “Recess,” and ban ghosts. When asked about his encounters with ghosts every Christmas Eve, Trump replied, “I have no idea what they’re going on about.

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Brunson kicked off her speech with a series of amusing anecdotes from her time at a phone sex line (“By my first week’s end, I had earned merely $1.38.”), eventually transitioning to discuss her theatrical performance focusing on her petite stature. The 4-foot-11 actress humorously mentioned, “They tried to cast me as a child in ‘Abbott Elementary’, but I penned that!” She opted against using a too-tall microphone and sang praises of being small, like being an affordable date with wine. Not long after, pop singer Sabrina Carpenter, also petite, joined her in sharing experiences, asking, “Does reading short stories feel like reading novels to you?” NBA legend Dwyane Wade stood tall among the women, but maintained that he’s still considered short when compared to other basketball players at 6-foot-4. “I simply long to be part of the song,” he quipped.

Best sketch of the night: Don’t ask your parents too many questions about ‘OnlySeniors’

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In this sitcom, Brunson and Thompson portray elderly parents who discover they have a unique insurance policy that necessitates them to engage in intimate activities for online viewers while being mostly nude. They are told that their actions generate income as they operate the camera and interact with their “Filthy little chat babies.” When not entertaining their online audience, they are found socializing with their similarly unclothed neighbors and, surprisingly, sitting on cakes. Given today’s economic instability, this business model appears quite profitable.

Also good: Now you now the traffic-altercation sign language for Iraq

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In a fresh confrontation, Mikey Day and Brunson found themselves on opposite ends of vehicles (apparently unaware of their previous encounter), engaging in a heated argument over inadequate parking on a ferry. Day’s character is infuriated by the other driver’s close parking, demanding more than half an inch, which leads to a scathing rebuke from the woman in the other car. Joining the fray is Day’s daughter Quinn, played by Chloe Fineman, who makes inappropriate sexual gestures, prompting Brunson’s character to respond with gardening tool-related signals as she reminds him of his parental influence. Although this scene is a repeat performance, it doesn’t lose its charm, although the only letdown comes from Colin Jost’s entrance, trying to peddle the real-life ferry he bought jointly with Pete Davidson. It’s not that Jost is lacking, but his appearance pales in comparison to Melissa McCarthy’s guest spot when they previously performed this skit alongside Martin Short.

‘Weekend Update’ winner: And now a word from Michael Longfellow

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Sarah Sherman and Bowen Yang portrayed disheartened regulars at an Applebee’s lamenting the closure of chain restaurants. However, it was Michael Longfellow’s refusal to obtain a Real ID that stole the spotlight on “Update” this week. Longfellow quipped, “You’ve already given me an ID. If it’s fake, you fix it. The Pope is dead, let me mourn.” Although his remarks were somewhat confusing, he continued joking about his minimal work schedule at “SNL,” stating, “I’m not in much this season,” before inventing rules for air travel such as, “If the TSA touches your crotch, they have to keep going until you reach climax.” Despite having a smaller role this season, segments like these demonstrate Longfellow’s impressive delivery skills. It would be delightful if he returns for Season 51 and gets more opportunities to display his abilities.

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2025-05-04 11:01

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