Top 10 Times SNL Made Fun of Talk Shows
#10: “The Drew Barrymore Show”
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Shortly after the actress joined the realm of daytime television, “SNL” graced us with this hilarious parody. It mirrors both the show’s chaotic setup and the positive, free-spirited mannerisms of its host. Not only does Chloe Fineman play Drew phenomenally, but she also captures all of her celebrity guests perfectly too. They even joke about Barrymore’s awkward interview with ex-husband, Tom Green, and throw in a dig at another daytime talk-show show that was in the headlines at the time. [“Holy-moly-oly!”] Who wouldn’t want to be VFFs with Fineman’s Barrymore? No one seemed to enjoy this sketch more than the real Drew Barrymore though!
#9: “Regis Philbin Auditions”
After Regis Philbin announced his retirement from “Live”, SNL thought they’d pitch in by suggesting some replacement options. This sketch sees Kelly Ripa, played by Nasim Pedrad, audition a bunch of celebrities, including Charles Barkley, Zooey Deschanel, Ashton Kutcher, Denzel Washington, Antonio Banderas, and many more. Each of these impressions is hilarious and we can totally imagine the unique quirks these celebrities would bring to the show. But no one could possibly live up to the iconic duo that was Regis and Kelly. So instead, Ripa settles on previous “Live” host, Kathie-Lee Gifford, brilliantly portrayed by Kristin Wiig. After all, it’s what America wants, right?
#8: “Women of SNL: Real Housewives Opening”
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In a parody of those “Real Housewives” reunion specials, Andy Cohen catches up with the women of SNL to see what they’ve been up to since leaving the show. The sketch mocks the tropes you often see in these episodes, including the heightened dramas, shameless self-promotion, and general non-relatability of these women. From Tina Fey’s autotuned, lip-synced performance to Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig’s fight and Rachel Dratch’s cries of [1- “We are fambly”], every moment of this sketch is hilarious. While we certainly get “Real Housewives” vibes, this sketch is really just a reminder of how incredibly talented and funny the women of SNL are.
#7: “Bad Girl Talk Show”
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In this “Dr. Phil” parody, we meet “out-of-control” teenager, Rae Rae, who’s been brought on the show by her concerned father. As soon as she comes out on stage, she’s defensive and insists that no one there knows her. However, during the Q&A segment, each audience member easily sees the Michelle underneath her Beyoncé. Host Tracy then invites the unqualified Dr. Jill; see what they did there? Played by host Emma Thompson, we soon learn that she actually has ulterior motives for appearing on the show. Hilariously, this sketch takes a jab at both the stereotypes and criticisms that talk shows like this often attract.
#6: “Today”
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When “SNL” first started parodying these “Today” show hosts, the ladies wore it as a badge of honor. Kristen Wiig played Kathie Lee as brassy, rude, obnoxious, and kind of a boozer. Hoda, initially played by Michaela Watkins, and later by Jenny Slate and Nasim Pedrad, was often the target of Gifford’s offensive behavior. Wiig focused on Kathie Lee’s loud personality and pushed it to its most comical extremes. Many thought the impressions and on-screen rapport really captured the tone of the show quite well. But it turns out there was at least one person who didn’t think that this imitation was the sincerest form of flattery after all…
#5: “Morning Joe”
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As co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, Kate McKinnon and Alex Moffat sidestep any subtext by blatantly ramping up the sexual tension. When Joe isn’t interrupting their guests or Mika isn’t sipping on her juice, the pair often make their interviewees uncomfortable by engaging in plenty of uncomfortable PDA. Later, when the co-hosts got married at a super-secret wedding in real life, “SNL” couldn’t resist speculating about the then-upcoming big day in another parody. It’s a real credit to McKinnon and Moffat that following the first sketch, “Morning Joe” attracted more than one million viewers every day for a month. What started as just a spoof, ended up contributing to “Morning Joe” history.
#4: “Ask Dr. Oz”
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No, no, this is definitely an “SNL” sketch - but we can see why you might think that you’re watching the real “Dr. Oz”. Bill Hader expertly captures the TV doctor’s way of speaking, his mannerisms, and his questionable medical advice, which often raises eyebrows. The funniest part, of course, is when Dr. Oz forces a reluctant audience member to share his health issues on television and then act it out with props. When it comes to giving actual medical advice though, the doctor doesn’t actually use any understandable words. Still, watching Kenny, played by Charlie Day, have to act out his backside issues is simply hilarious.
#3: “Oprah’s Favorite Things: Birthday Edition”
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If you’ve ever watched “Oprah,” then this is probably a scene you recognize only too well. Although Maya Rudolph does a pretty good Oprah impression, what makes this sketch so funny is the increasingly over-the-top reaction of her audience throughout her birthday giveaway. It’s not long before we see audience members fainting, losing limbs, going into labor or literally having their heads explode. Tina Fey, in particular, seems rather excited to be taking home a pair of Ugg boots. These ladies start at a ten and their reactions only continue to grow until it results in some pretty colossal repercussions.
#2: “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”
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Kate McKinnon is the queen of impressions and several Emmy Awards to prove it. However, one of our favorites has to be her “Ellen DeGeneres”. Her look is on point, but also she flawlessly captures Ellen’s voice, mannerisms, and even comedic style. The sketch parodies some of the more recognizable elements of the daytime talk show, such as her dancing, love of pranks, and adoration of animals - not to mention turning British kids into viral sensations. In fact, Kate’s impression is so amazing that even standing beside the real Ellen DeGeneres, we can’t take our eyes off of her for a moment. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “The Talk” While It Shares a Mismatched Group of Hosts, Don’t Forget That It’s Not “The View” “NPR’s Delicious Dish” Alec Baldwin’s ‘Schweddy Balls’ Turned This Recurring Sketch Into an “SNL” Classic “Hot Ones with Beyoncé” This Is The Next Best Thing to Seeing the Actual Beyoncé on the Real “Hot Ones”
#1: “The View”
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“SNL” has been parodying “The View” for years. They perfectly capture the atmosphere of the show, from its unlikely group of co-hosts to the fiery dynamics of their discussions. In 2019, the women of “The View” actually responded to a sketch that poked fun at them, including a heated moment between Joy Behar played by Kate McKinnon, Princess of Arizona, Meghan McCain played by Aidy Bryant, with Leslie Jones’ Whoopi Goldberg hilariously defusing the tension. Even the hosts themselves had to admit that the “SNL” versions of themselves were pretty awesome. After all, once you’ve been parodied on the show, you know you’ve made it in popular culture.
