First-time ‘SNL’ host Paul Mescal isn’t afraid to have fun, and Church Lady returns

As pointed out in the first proper Please Don’t Destroy sketch to air this season that wasn’t a commercial, serious actors don’t always do great on “Saturday Night Live.” Either they’re not actually funny, or they get too in their head about being perceived as funny as they think they are, and the result is a guest-host turn that feels too effortful.

“Gladiator II” actor Paul Mescal escaped that fate with a breezy, fun performance in his “SNL” debut, doing what young actors should always do when hosting the show for the first time: surrender to the process and don’t be afraid to look foolish.

Mescal brought his acting intensity to sketches like one about a college student whose parents hate his new pierced ear, a scene about an actor struggling with a commercial for an Italian restaurant, and a pitch-perfect portrayal of his fellow countryman Bono late in the show.

But he was also quite silly in a sketch about a Spotify Wrapped playlist featuring little-known singer and podcaster Satoshi Gutman (Bowen Yang) with an appearance by internet celebrity Trisha Paytas, a courtroom sketch about a terrible lawyer (Andrew Dismukes), and one about a pirate-themed all-male dance revue. But nowhere was Mescal more game than in the two standout pieces of the night: a Please Don’t Destroy video in which Mescal falls in love with the “SNL” writers, and a “Gladiator II” trailer in which the movie is turned into a musical. Mescal is fantastic in both and it would be no surprise if he returned for a second hosting turn sometime in the future.

Musical guest Shaboozey performed “Good News” and “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”

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Dana Carvey’s Season 50 “SNL” residency continued with the revival of his Church Lady character in the cold open, the first time we’ve seen “Church Chat” on the show since 2016. Church Lady began by calling 2024 “the most Satanic year ever,” referencing Hawk Tuah Girl, the movie “Wicked” and pop star Sabrina Carpenter. “You know who’s the best carpenter?” she asked. “Jesus!” Church Lady welcomed former U.S. Attorney General nominee Matt Gaetz (Sarah Sherman), who was subjected to jokes about his facial features, and Hunter Biden (“SNL” alum David Spade, Carvey’s “Fly on the Wall” podcasting co-host) who said at one point, “Pardon me,” and leaned into comparisons to Jesus, another son forgiven by his father. The last guest was baseball phenom Juan Soto (Marcello Hernández), who earned a tweak on one of Church Lady’s catchphrases when she replied, “Well, isn’t that Spanish?” The cold open ended with the Church Chat dancers joining in for a song that may have been called, “Satan Had a Good Year.”

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Mescal’s short monologue first focused on his reputation for very serious roles in movies such as “Aftersun” and “All of Us Strangers,” and not for comedy. He joked that he’s either doing nude scenes or crying scenes or nude crying scenes. A brief clip superimposed one of those performances on footage from “Gladiator II.” The actor then discussed his pride of being Irish, taking a few shots at England and U.S. mascots and greeting Hernández, who came on stage in short shorts to appear more Irish like Mescal.

Best sketch of the night: ‘Gladiator II’ could really use 50 minutes of singing

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“Gladiator II” was a hit, but not as big a hit as the new musicals “Wicked” and “Moana 2.” Thus, a re-release of the movie featuring 50 minutes of new, original songs, such as, “There’s No Place Like Rome: “Our streets are the cleanest / Our soldiers the meanest / And all of our statues have a tiny penis.” Mescal sings, “They call me slave, they call me a killer, but someday they’ll know my name!” as he slashes necks with his swords, and gets into a Lin-Manuel Miranda-written rap battle with Mikey Day, who plays a “Mad Emperor with the bad temperor.” It ends with the flossing dance, a broomstick ride and the perfect title: “Gladiator Twosical.”

Also good: Daddy time with the Please Don’t Destroy boys

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For the first time all season, a full Please Don’t Destroy video made it on the air, and it was a good one. When guest host Mescal is told he’s loved by the writers, he takes it literally and decides he’s actually falling in love with them. But not so much romantically; he wants to care for them and protect them in a wintery cabin like a father would. But he’s not their dad: he’s Daddy. And the boys, wearing Old Navy pajamas, rejoice when he returns home from playing another sad, hot guy in a movie. Angry villagers who don’t understand the love they share come to attack, but Daddy and the boys stand up for their new family, at least in their cabin dream sequence.

‘Weekend Update’ winner: The Dookie family is living large

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There was only one guest segment on “Weekend Update” this week: Heidi Gardner played “A Mom Whose Son Just Got Famous,” alongside Hernández, a rookie NFL player. Mom is as excited about her new Oakley sunglasses and her Louboutin shoes as she is about her son’s success given that he had to sacrifice his personality to get ahead. “Trust the process,” he says flatly. Mom is also excited to go backstage and hook up with the musical guest: “I’m about to show Shaboozey my Shapoozey,” she says. The family’s surname is “Dookie” and there are plenty of jokes about the family holding solid even when it gets squeezed. Maybe we could have used a second guest segment.

Omar L. Gallaga is a freelance writer.