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Kate McKinnon Returns To 'SNL' As A First Time Host

Kate McKinnon returns to 'SNL' and brought to host the Christmas show of "Saturday Night Live." It was also during "Weekend Update" that Michael Che and Colin Jost traded jokes.

Author:Tyreece Bauer
Reviewer:Elisa Mueller
Dec 19, 2023
33.5K Shares
588.2K Views
Kate McKinnon returns to 'SNL'and is brought to host the Christmas show of "Saturday Night Live." It was also during "Weekend Update" that Michael Che and Colin Jost traded jokes. It wasn't a surprise that the Barbie actress would play one of her regular parts when she came back to the late-night show for the first time as host.
McKinnon played Barbara DeDrew again in the sketch "Whiskers R We" on Saturday's show. In this sketch, the guest host is always the co-host. For this sketch, McKinnon asked musical guest Billie Eilish to help her out because she was the star of the week. Eilish played Paw-bree Hep-Purrn.

Kate McKinnon Returns To 'SNL'

Kate McKinnon wearing a blue green coat
Kate McKinnon wearing a blue green coat
Following her departure from Saturday Night Live in 2022, Kate McKinnon came back to the show. McKinnon brought her comedic skills back to Studio 8H with singing guest Billie Eilish. She did great in sketches, as we all knew she would. This episode was a mix of things, with most of the sketches being about the upcoming Christmas holiday. It brought out what we loved about having McKinnon on the show and made us miss her a lot.
The cold open, which made fun of the "Christmas awards" and set the tone for the rest of the night, was the weakest part of what was otherwise a pretty good show. With McKinnon's beautiful and moving speech as she started her new job as host of Saturday Night Live, it was a pretty great night all around. When a Saturday Night Live star like McKinnon comes back, this is what you'd expect.
As soon as McKinnon started her speech, she talked about why she quit the show, saying that her "skin was reacting poorly to the prosthetics." She did say, though, that she had a big year, which included playing "Weird Barbie" in the hugely popular movie Barbie.
I walked in [the Barbie set] on the first day and they were like, 'You look perfect,' and I was like, 'These are my clothes.'- Kate McKinnon
She was referring to the crazy clothes her character wore.
In her opening monologue, McKinnon joked that she wasn't sure how to be herself because she's used to playing different roles and making up funny sounds. She said that she had been trying to "assemble a human personality"since she left Saturday Night Live instead of just being the "freak next to the hot person" in skits.
The show cut to some of her most famous roles to show exactly what she meant. For example, she dressed as the strange Hunger Games character Effie Trinkett next to host Josh Hutcherson and as a Victorian lady next to Martin Freeman, which she called "awesome."
It was Lorne Michaels' idea for McKinnon to sing a holiday song, and she did. Later, Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph joined her on stage for the rest of the show. Many funny holiday sketches show how skilled Kate McKinnon is. This is why she was one of the best actors to come out of SNL.
McKinnon then said that seeing old friends on SNL was the best thing about coming back. At that point, she brought on stage Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig, who were both on Saturday Night Live. The actress said it was "so great to be back [with] so many memories."They even made a joke list of their achievements since leaving the show, with Wiig listing Taylor Swift's as their own and Rudolph listing Beyoncé's as their own.
McKinnon's last show as a cast member was the May 2022 season finale. She became a part of the group during season 37 in 2012. She was the first openly gay cast member to join the show at the time.

Final Thoughts

In May 2022, Kate McKinnon left Saturday Night Live along with Pete Davidson, Aidy Bryant, and a bunch of other performers. The clock started ticking right away for her return. Early this season, Davidson was the first member of that group of departing hosts to take over, but McKinnon finally got her chance last night, during SNL's annual Christmas show. She learned that it's one thing to steal the show and something else to run it.
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Tyreece Bauer

Tyreece Bauer

Author
A trendsetter in the world of digital nomad living, Tyreece Bauer excels in Travel and Cybersecurity. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and is a certified Cybersecurity professional. As a Digital Nomad, he combines his passion for exploring new destinations with his expertise in ensuring digital security on the go. Tyreece's background includes extensive experience in travel technology, data privacy, and risk management in the travel industry. He is known for his innovative approach to securing digital systems and protecting sensitive information for travelers and travel companies alike. Tyreece's expertise in cybersecurity for mobile apps, IoT devices, and remote work environments makes him a trusted advisor in the digital nomad community. Tyreece enjoys documenting his adventures, sharing insights on staying secure while traveling and contributing to the digital nomad lifestyle community.
Elisa Mueller

Elisa Mueller

Reviewer
Elisa Mueller, a Kansas City native, grew up surrounded by the wonders of books and movies, inspired by her parents' passion for education and film. She earned bachelor's degrees in English and Journalism from the University of Kansas before moving to New York City, where she spent a decade at Entertainment Weekly, visiting film sets worldwide. With over 8 years in the entertainment industry, Elisa is a seasoned journalist and media analyst, holding a degree in Journalism from NYU. Her insightful critiques have been featured in prestigious publications, cementing her reputation for accuracy and depth. Outside of work, she enjoys attending film festivals, painting, writing fiction, and studying numerology.
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