Jeff’s Wacky SNL Review: Jon Hamm/Lizzo

April 13, 2025

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About last night… (CREDIT: NBC/Screenshot)

Jeff “jmunney” Malone watches every new episode of Saturday Night Live and then reviews all the sketches and segments according to a “wacky” theme.

Here we go, it’s time to review another episode of Saturday Night Live! And just like last week’s edition, we’ve got a dude hosting for the fourth time after more than a decade since his third. But unlike Thomas Jacob Black, Jonathan Daniel Hamm has made plenty of cameo appearances in the intervening period. And as for the songs, well, fourth time’s clearly the charm, because Melissa Jefferson (better known as Lizzo) is also making her fourth appearance as musical guest.

In honor of one of Jon Hamm’s most classic SNL sketches, I’m going to review each segment of this episode by declaring if it’s More Hammy or More Bubbly. One isn’t necessarily better than the other, it all depends on the context!

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Jeff’s Wacky SNL Review: Jack Black/Elton John & Brandi Carlile

April 6, 2025

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a group of April Foolz (CREDIT: NBC/Screenshot)

Jeff “jmunney” Malone watches every new episode of Saturday Night Live and then reviews all the sketches and segments according to a “wacky” theme.

Happy April, everybody! And I’m not fooling when I say that.

The reason I’ve assembled you all here today is to convene in the wake of the April 5, 2025 episode of Saturday Night Live, which was hosted by Jack Black, along with the two-for-one musical guest combo of Elton John and Brandi Carlile. It’s been 19 years and 4 months since Mr. Black last hosted, and that was one of my favorite SNL episodes ever. As for Mr. John and Mrs. Carlile, they’ve both graced the 30 Rock stage with their presence before, but never yet combining forces! So there’s plenty worth getting excited about here.

Since this is the first episode of April this year, I’m going to take inspiration from that old axiom of “April showers bring May flowers” and review each sketch and segment by concluding whether they’re more like showers, or more like flowers. That’s not to say that one is good and the other is bad – instead, it all depends on all the context.

And, away… we… go:

Trump Tariff Speech: More than a shower, this is a steady rain that keeps on persisting.

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Jeff’s Wacky SNL Review: Mikey Madison/Morgan Wallen

March 30, 2025

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three human beings standing on a TV stage looking at the camera (CREDIT: NBC/Screenshot)

Jeff “jmunney” Malone watches every new episode of Saturday Night Live and then reviews all the sketches and segments according to a “wacky” theme.

March 2025 is almost March Twenty-Twenty-Goodbye, but there was still time for SNL to get one more new episode in this month. Serving as Mrs. The Host was Freshly Minted Academy Award Oscar Winner Mikaela Madison Rosberg (better known as Mikey), and checking in as the Music Dude was Morgan Wallen. This was her first time on Studio 8H, while he was previously there one time before, and almost there one other time before that.

I’m getting over what I believe is a cold, so I’m going to revisit a reliably reliable reviewing strategy and review this episode by transcribing the notes I took while watching.

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Jeff’s Wacky SNL Review: Lady Gaga/Lady Gaga (2025)

March 9, 2025

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Talkin’ ’bout the goo-goo, talkin’ ’bout the Gaga (CREDIT: NBC/Screenshot)

Jeff “jmunney” Malone watches every new episode of Saturday Night Live and then reviews all the sketches and segments according to a “wacky” theme.

Here’s the deal: Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (better known by her stage name Lady Gaga) has memorably appeared multiple times on the sketch and variety show Saturday Night Live. And she did it again on the episode that began airing on March 8, 2025. Indeed, she served as both the host and the musical guest. She can’t help but keep herself busy, I reckon.

Because this episode aired on the eve of my birthday, and I’m writing the review on my birthday, I will be reviewing it by determining what was the most *festive* part of each segment.

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Jeff’s Wacky SNL Review: Shane Gillis/Tate McRae

March 2, 2025

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Something seems fishy* (CREDIT: NBC/Screenshot)
*-That’s a pun based on the host’s last name

Jeff “jmunney” Malone watches every new episode of Saturday Night Live and then reviews all the sketches and segments according to a “wacky” theme.

It’s a case of the Terrible Twos! Shane Gillis and Tate McRae are both in their SNL Toddler Era, as they simultaneously make their sophomore guest appearances on the March 1, 2025 episode.

Since this is the first episode after the 50th anniversary special, I’m going to review it by discussing whether or not I think each segment will end up being spotlighted in the 100th anniversary special.

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Jeff’s Wacky SNL50: The Anniversary Special Review

February 16, 2025

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Thank you, 50 SNLs (CREDIT: NBC/Screenshot)

Jeff “jmunney” Malone watches every new episode of Saturday Night Live and then reviews all the sketches and segments according to a “wacky” theme…

…but this time I’m liveblogging the 50th Anniversary Special! I’ll be tossing off some thoughts for each segment as they arrive. Please join me and watch and read along, if you please.

For context, in the past several weeks, I’ve also been consuming some other 50th Anniversary coverage, like the series of documentaries on Peacock; the SNL music documentary directed by Questlove; the concert special at Radio City Music Hall; and plenty of articles on various websites, newspapers, and magazines. I haven’t finished all of that yet – it may just be enough to last me another 50 years!

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Jeff’s Wacky SNL Review: Timothée Chalamet/Timothée Chalamet

January 26, 2025

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Chal-a-met & Squirm-a-shay! (CREDIT: NBC/Screenshot)

Jeff “jmunney” Malone watches every new episode of Saturday Night Live and then reviews all the sketches and segments according to a “wacky” theme.

Well, here’s something. Timothée Chalamet is known for being an actor, and he’s also known for occasionally hosting Saturday Night Live. One thing he’s not really known for, though, is singing songs. But he’s nevertheless been booked as the host and musical guest of the latest episode of SNL. He recently played a famous singer-songwriter on the big screen, and I guess he enjoyed that experience, because now he’s performing Robert Zimmerman songs on the Studio 8H stage.

For my review of this episode, I’m going to take a cue from Nikki Glaser and adopt an Adam Sandler voice.

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Jeff’s Wacky SNL Review: Dave Chappelle/GloRilla

January 19, 2025

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Glo Up (CREDIT: NBC/Screenshot)

Jeff “jmunney” Malone watches every new episode of Saturday Night Live and then reviews all the sketches and segments according to a “wacky” theme.

OMG, it’s 2025 already? Indeed, we’re more than halfway through January. Well, with that in mind, I’m gonna go ahead and talk about the first new SNL of the calendar year, which undeniably had the guest lineup of Dave Chappelle and GloRilla.

For the theme of this review, I’m going to A to B to C things. As you may know, another famous guy with a similar name as our host is photographer-director David LaChapelle, who has his own connection to this late night institution, having recently shot the recent SNL-centric cover story for New York Magazine. So I’ll analyze each sketch and segment by asking the question: Would David LaChapelle Like This? (For reference, LaChappelle is known for his colorful music videos like Christina Aguilera’s “Dirrty,” as well as the krumping documentary Rize.)

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Jeff’s Wacky SNL Review: Martin Short/Hozier

December 22, 2024

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Should Hozier be called “Hoser” when he’s standing next to a Canadian? (CREDIT: NBC/Screenshot)

Jeff “jmunney” Malone watches every new episode of Saturday Night Live and then reviews all the sketches and segments according to a “wacky” theme.

If you’re a fan of Saturday Night Live, you might already know that Canada-born Martin Short joined the cast of SNL back in the fall of 1984 and remained for just that one season. He’s since made plenty of guest appearances, including four hosting gigs between 1986 and 2022. And now he’s back in front for the Christmas 2024 episode. That makes for #5, which is kind of a big deal.

Another thing you might know if you’re a devoted SNL fan: Irish-born Andrew John Hozier-Byrne – who goes mononymously by “Hozier” – made his Studio 8H debut a full ten years ago. So this episode pairing him with Marty is in fact his second.

Since this episode is the last before Christmas this year, I’ll be reviewing each sketch by answering the following question: How nice and/or naughty was it?

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Jeff’s Wacky SNL Review: Chris Rock/Gracie Abrams

December 15, 2024

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Like a Rock! (and also Like a Gardener and Like a Nepo Baby) (CREDIT: NBC/Screenshot)

Jeff “jmunney” Malone watches every new episode of Saturday Night Live and then reviews all the sketches and segments according to a “wacky” theme.

Did this episode of Saturday Night Live have you feeling like a hurricane? Well, maybe that’s because it was hosted by Chris Rock. Yep, the guy who was born in Andrews, South Carolina and an SNL cast member from 1990-93 and came back to host in 1996, 2014, and 2020 has now come back to host once again in 2024. Clearly, he’s a veteran of comedy.

As for the musical guest, that’ll be a first-timer in the form of Gracie Abrams. Hopefully she goes on to have a full and satisfying career.

Regarding my review strategy for this episode, I’ll be deploying that old standby of transcribing the notes I wrote in my notebook while watching.

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