Bowen Yang says goodbye to ‘SNL’ with help from Ariana Grande, Cher and Aidy Bryant

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Ariana Grande was back on “Saturday Night Live” just over a year after a memorable hosting appearance – many considered it one of the best of the season. She showcased her skills, including impressions, comedic delivery, dancing, and her incredible voice.

Ariana Grande was very gracious during the show, making sure the attention was on her “Wicked” co-star, Bowen Yang, who was announcing his departure from “SNL” during this week’s episode after eight seasons. Throughout the show, especially in the final sketch—a heartfelt goodbye to a retiring Delta Sky Club employee—it was clear Grande knew her role: this episode was about celebrating Bowen Yang and his time on the show, not about her.

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Bowen Yang, a popular cast member on ‘Saturday Night Live’ for seven seasons and a writer for one, is reportedly leaving the show.

Ariana Grande was definitely a highlight of the show. She kicked things off with a funny Christmas-themed monologue, then appeared in a sketch as a broken Elf on the Shelf attending a support group. She also shared a hilarious moment with Marcello Hernández, trading costumes as over-the-top dance teachers. But the most memorable bit was probably her incredibly gory take on the character Kevin McCallister from “Home Alone.”

She appeared in a sketch where she dated The Grinch, then played a judge alongside Kenan Thompson as Black Santa Claus. Afterwards, she impersonated Katy Perry and Celine Dion in a trailer for a Peacock special that combines the styles of various singers, similar to the popular David Bowie and Bing Crosby collaboration.

During his final show, Yang had a chance to be in almost every sketch. He made quick appearances, like in the “Home Alone” parody, played Yoko Ono in a special sketch for Peacock, and even brought back his popular Trend Forecaster character alongside former cast member Aidy Bryant on “Weekend Update.”

Even though Ariana Grande seemed more relaxed and occasionally broke character with laughter, it didn’t detract from her performance. She was just as hilarious, lively, and spot-on with her impressions as ever. The whole appearance felt less like a promotional event for the new “Wicked” film and more like a heartfelt gesture to support a friend who was retiring.

Cher appeared as a musical guest, playing the boss of Kenan Thompson’s character in a Delta Airlines sketch and performing two Christmas songs: “DJ Play a Christmas Song” and “Run Run Rudolph.” Ariana Grande introduced “Run Run Rudolph” while in character as Antonio. The show also included a tribute to director Rob Reiner, who recently passed away at home with his wife, Michele Singer Reiner.

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In a recent holiday-themed sketch, James Austin Johnson, impersonating President Trump, delivered a characteristically rambling address. While embracing a Christmas tree and reading aloud stage directions, he shared outlandish claims about “Arctic immigrants” stealing holiday treats. He also boasted about the Kennedy Center being renamed “The Trump-Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts No Homo,” hinting at more monuments bearing his name, including the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and his nickname for the Statue of Liberty, “Big Elphaba.” When asked why so many names were being added to things, he alluded to the heavily redacted Epstein Files. Johnson’s impression continues to evolve, becoming increasingly exaggerated and incorporating unexpected pop culture references, this week including the Indigo Girls, “The Hunger Games,” and the video game “Metal Gear Solid.”

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Ariana Grande’s opening speech playfully hinted at revisiting popular sketches from her previous hosting gig, but she quickly joked that some things are best left untouched. She then launched into a song about the difficulty of buying gifts for people she doesn’t know well, using her cousin’s boyfriend, Steve, as an example. This led to a full musical number, set to the tune of “All I Want for Christmas,” with cast members like Bowen Yang offering gift ideas like massage coupons or oysters. While some of the lyrics were a bit fast-paced, Grande delivered a fantastic rendition of the Mariah Carey classic.

Best sketch of the night: Take a bow, Bowen

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While not the night’s biggest laugh-getter – that honor likely went to the Elf on the Shelf support group or the Love is Blind reunion – Bowen Yang’s final sketch was genuinely touching. It featured him as a retiring Delta Sky Club worker serving eggnog, and it quickly became emotional as he spoke about his time on SNL with his wife (Ariana Grande). She playfully responded to his reminiscing about years of making eggnog, noting some was good, some was bad, and a lot didn’t make the cut. Yang, visibly moved, expressed his love for the SNL crew and sang a tearful rendition of “Please Come Home for Christmas” with Grande. He joked that, like eggnog, he wasn’t for everyone, but appreciated those who enjoyed his work. A playful exchange followed about wanting to “go out on top,” with his wife quipping he was “a bottom.” The sketch ended with a surprise appearance by Cher, playing his Delta boss, who told him he was “a little too gay… but perfect for me.”

Also good: The holiday duets you didn’t know you needed

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With Ariana Grande on the show, it’s tempting to feature lots of celebrity impressions, especially singing ones. This sketch paired different performers for duets, trying to recreate the memorable collaboration between David Bowie and Bing Crosby on “Little Drummer Boy,” with mixed results. Grande and Kenan Thompson performed twice – first as Katy Perry and Bob Dylan, and later as Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion. While Grande is remarkably good at imitating singers, Thompson surprisingly held his own as Bocelli. Other highlights included Mikey Day as Bad Bunny, an energetic performance as Benson Boone (likely by a stunt performer), and Veronika Slowikowska’s impression of Bjork.

‘Weekend Update’ winner: Mistletoe, you are on watch!

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Kam Patterson was a standout as Tyson, Michael Che’s nephew, portraying a believable mix of sweetness and playful threat – particularly his grudge against Santa for a missing bike. The show featured a strange joke-writing segment where only Michael Che penned new material for Colin Jost to deliver. However, the highlight of the week was Bryant’s return, reuniting with Yang to perform their popular Trend Forecasters sketch. They humorously ‘canceled’ trends like mistletoe, predictable musical introductions, and orange chicken, ending each dismissal with their signature phrase, “Go to bed, b—!” They then declared waving pride flags, Marge Simpson’s hair, and Michael Che himself as ‘out,’ with a visibly surprised Che shown holding pride flags and wearing a blue wig.

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2025-12-21 11:31