From Teyana Taylor’s SNL hosting debut this past weekend. You could almost feel the audience’s collective sigh when she brought her unique and no-doubt intimidating combination of talent and charm to that hallowed stage. Despite a stronger performance than the week before, her critics claimed she fell short of really making the character sing. They praised her for always having the capacity to improve. The show had some pretty remarkable sketches that highlighted her range and even more her ability to play off an audience.
Throughout the performance, Taylor slipped back into character as Perfidia Beverly Hills, her morally questionable revolutionary. In one particularly hilarious bit, she collaborated with Kenan Thompson. As an ensemble, they united to form airport employees who broke the news of unexpected flight delays and cancellations to stranded travelers via catchy R&B numbers. The comedic timing and musicality of the duo helped lighten what was surely a tense time.
In this other sketch, Taylor continued to prove her versatility by playing a sideline reporter. She passionately unveiled her grim predictions for the Indianapolis Colts’ season after their rookie starting quarterback took an injury. This portrayal highlighted her ability to blend humor with sharp commentary, reflecting the current state of sports while keeping the audience entertained.
Taylor had a lot to celebrate the week leading up to her time as host. In the meantime, she got the incredible news of being nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress. She joked that this was occurring as she was getting fitted for her bald cap. Importantly, it happened literally in the shadow of her castmate, Mikey Day. Her anecdote positively brimmed with enthusiasm. Yet, through it all, it showed the fun and the ridiculousness that goes into prepping for such an important event.
Throughout the episode, Taylor reminisced about her various achievements, including her time on the reality show My Super Sweet 16 and raising her children, who made an adorable cameo from the first row. She even did an unexpected shoutout to the groom’s aged grandfather. Putting on all the old man prosthetics and old man bald cap mentioned above, he evoked nonstop laughter from the audience.
In another segment, Taylor hosted a mock ceremony that aimed to distract from “what all little freaks and psychos in ICE are doing” and “dead purple hands.” She brought her incisive, probing mind and hilarious talent to bear on the biggest issues of our day. This formula produced an outrageous stage for discourse on relevant topics while maintaining a humorous tone.
We thought Taylor’s sick dance moves were the unexpected treat of the battle episode. Her rhythm, energy, and charisma scored breaking new ground visually for viewers while revealing her diverse talents. Despite these strong points, some felt that her overall performance lacked the spark that would have made it truly memorable.
That episode’s saving grace came almost entirely in the form of a hilarious, satirical commercial called One Battle After Another. This short, imperfect sketch scathingly parodied former President Donald Trump’s insatiable appetite for praise. In a funny bait and switch, he received a re-gifted Nobel Prize on behalf of “that woman whose name I already didn’t catch. That representation further illuminated the obvious physical and mental decline of Trump. Even after recently having double knee replacement surgery, he was still groovin’ down to an Earth, Wind & Fire-laden playlist.
Johnson and co. ably recontextualized Trump’s downfall, making character far more formidable. This method allowed them to address hard-hitting societal criticism while weaving more levity into their art. Audiences responded powerfully to this tactic. SNL celebrated the beginning of Trump’s second term last night with their first ever “Trumps” awards, specifically modelled after helping those who best reflect or are hurt by the reign of Trump.
What made this episode so cool, though, was the combination of insightful commentary from cast members jumping into social media culture. Marcello Hernández reminded us that “Gen Z slang comes from black slang.” Further, he detailed how phrases like these often originate in the Black community before making their way to other demographic groups.
One particular scene really struck me. A young white child performing the play with fun exuberance stood up and shouted as the star of *One Battle After Another* that day, “This is what black power looks like!” This simple but powerful observation about the new America went to the heart of our struggle with culture and identity today.