Top 10 Hilarious Vanessa Bayer Moments on SNL
#10: Santa Baby
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When he debuted as a host in December of 2015, Ryan Gosling brought plenty of holiday cheer to the show. In this pre-recorded sketch, Bayer and Gosling play a couple attending a holiday party in their new neighborhood. When they hear that a certain guest might make an appearance, the night takes an uncomfortably intense turn. The two terrify the other guests as they demand to meet Santa, who’s obviously their party host in a costume. Thanks to their acting chops, the pair is totally convincing as a hilariously unhinged and passionate couple.
#9: Laura Parsons
After a few serious roles, audiences were glad to see this child star reappear as a guest on Weekend Update. It’s amazing that Bayer never breaks when she makes an entrance as the loud and energetic Laura Parsons. This “newscaster of tomorrow” is always eager to impress, despite not fully grasping the gravity of the current events she’s reporting on. Unfortunately, the topics Laura chooses to talk about are never exactly age-appropriate. Michael Che usually tries to redirect her towards more lighthearted issues, but she always works her way back to some hard-hitting news.
#8: Daisy Rose, Romantic Comedy Expert
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This guest spot on Weekend Update gave Bayer the chance to show off her cheesy and romantic side. When she’s supposed to discuss the newest romantic sitcoms on TV, Daisy Rose gets a bit distracted when she meets Michael Che. She totally misinterprets her appearance on the news segment as a meet-cute, and can only communicate in movie clichés. Daisy follows the rom-com formula to a tee, and tops everything off with a passionate monologue to Che. This one-sided romance is painfully funny, and we can’t get enough of Daisy’s short and sweet appearance.
#7: Dawn Lazarus
We didn’t know we needed a weather forecast on Weekend Update until we met this meteorologist. Before Bayer departed from the show in 2017, one of her newer characters was Dawn Lazarus, a weather broadcaster for the news segment. When it comes to characters with hilarious speech patterns, you can always count on Bayer to keep a straight face. While she flawlessly maintains the cadence of a classic weather reporter, her speech becomes more and more incoherent. Bayer’s ability to make a ridiculous character completely believable deserves a thunderous round of applause. It’s impossible to tell if her lines of gibberish are improvised or painstakingly scripted.
#6: Poetry Class with Ms. Meadows
What do you guys think of when you think of poetry? As Ms. Meadows, Vanessa Bayer made her mark as an over-enthusiastic substitute teacher with no volume control. She can never stop smiling when she’s awkwardly trying to connect with her students. As she encourages the kids to write poems about topics they actually like, she can’t help but express her excitement with weird, short outbursts. Just when you think things can’t get worse, the host usually plays a student interested in Ms. Meadows, and reads a passionate poem expressing their attraction to her.
#5: Brecky
From “Manual Blondicks” to “Bivilgagi watches,” these two ladies seem to mispronounce almost everything in this recurring commercial. In this strangely entertaining sketch, Vanessa Bayer and Cecily Strong pose as former adult film stars advertising various luxury goods. While showing off high-end handbags and designer shoes, they offer some less-than-appropriate anecdotes with a complete lack of enthusiasm. Even though Brecky is in complete contrast to her more lively personas, Bayer still makes us giggle with this deadpan character who loves the finer things in life. With the host playing a third actor who keeps entering the scene at the wrong time, these stars give us just a little taste of “elegniss.”
#4: Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy
We already know Bayer has an impressive arsenal of Weekend Update guests, but this lovable young man has a special place in our hearts. From Passover to Hanukkah, Jacob has shared many stories about Jewish traditions. Every anchor has tried to get to know Jacob a bit more, but he’s always extremely committed to his rehearsed speech and occasional punchlines. Based on her experience of attending countless bat and bar mitzvahs in the seventh grade, we can see why the shy and awkward Jacob is one of Bayer’s favorite characters. With Bayer’s departure from the show in 2017, this adorable Yankees fan will be sorely missed.
#3: The Miley Cyrus Show
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In 2010, we were introduced to this “pretty cool” impression during Bayer’s first season on “SNL.” Along with her dad Billy Ray Cyrus, this former Disney star is now the host of her own talk show. After she introduces her guest, she bombards them with a long, continuous string of questions in a single breath. While Bayer maintained Miley’s southern drawl and wide smile, the show even documented the star’s dramatic makeover in 2013. The singer herself has been a great sport about the impression, and even made an appearance as Justin Bieber when she hosted in 2011.
#2: Rachel from “Friends”
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While this wasn’t Bayer’s first appearance as Rachel Green, Weekend Update gave her the opportunity to show off this uncanny impression. In this segment, Bayer acts as the “Friends” character to discuss ‘90s nostalgia on television. Complete with Rachel’s classic haircut and a set of denim overalls, Bayer nails this caricature with a flawless imitation of the character’s speech patterns and mannerisms. Thankfully, the “Friends” star considers Bayer’s impression of her to be the best that she’s seen. Bayer even shared these adorable backstage photos of Aniston helping her with the Rachel wig! Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Vitamix Bayer’s Character Really Loves Her Blender. Oh, & Nut Butter. Putin’s Best Friends from Growing Up Bayer and Fred Armisen Clearly Have a Love/Hate Relationship With the Russian President Janet Champagne on RKO Movie Set This Film Noir Actor Can’t Keep From Breaking Wind Golden Globes We’d Be Pretty Jazzed if We Won a Globe Too A Girl’s Halloween For the Record, We Wouldn’t Mind Being the Cheese
#1: Totino’s
Since 2015, the Totino’s trilogy has brought a series of hilarious twists to a classic and stereotypical commercial. The ad always starts with Bayer as the nameless and exceptionally cheerful housewife who just wants to take care of her “hungry guys.” According to writers Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider, the idea blossomed when they took a second to ask themselves where this woman goes after she serves those snacks? Bayer is at her best when she has the opportunity to play into our expectations and then catch us off-guard with a surprising change of tone. From the comically insulting “Super Bowl Activity Pack for Woman” to her romantic happy ending with Kristen Stewart, the Totino’s lady definitely left us hungry for more.
