- 12 hours ago
Nobody does surprise appearances quite like "Saturday Night Live!" Join us as we count down the most jaw-dropping, unscripted, and totally unexpected celebrity cameos in SNL history! From legends crashing their own parodies to A-listers blindsiding the cast, these moments remind us why live TV is truly unmatched. Which surprise appearance left you absolutely speechless? Let us know in the comments!
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00:00Who is that under there?
00:06Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the SNL cameos that we did not see
00:12coming.
00:19Number 10. Kel Mitchell
00:21When Kiki Palmer took over hosting duties, she decided to make one of her childhood dreams come true.
00:28Starring in her own version of Kenan and Kel.
00:30Come on, Kelly, you can't keep taking orange sodas.
00:33Just put it on my tap. I'm good for it.
00:36Okay.
00:37Only this time, it's Kenan and Kelly, and the show is traded in its goofy charm for full-on melodrama.
00:43You know, for the Emmy.
00:45While Kenan has some gripes about this new direction, he seems open to expanding the cast.
00:50Hey, everybody!
00:53Oh, I missed you!
00:54Oh, man, I missed you, too!
00:59Oh, who loves orange soda? Kel loves orange soda!
01:06Kel Mitchell walks onto the Rigby's grocery store set wearing his classic Kel outfit.
01:11This was a first, and a huge one at that.
01:14Plus, it helped quell some of those long-running feud rumors.
01:18We loved this reunion almost as much as Kel loves orange soda.
01:22The show is not good, but Jordan Beale called us.
01:26He wants us to do a sequel to Nope.
01:28Number 9. Judge Judy
01:29While she was famously parodied by Sherry Oteri, the real Judge Judy Shineland eventually showed up to confront her double
01:37and show her how it's done.
01:39I've seen enough, Sherry. Get up!
01:41I, but I'm gonna...
01:42Listen, get your bony ass out of my chair.
01:46Get up.
01:47Watch and listen.
01:48Judge Judy's ready to roll.
01:50Oteri basically ended up fighting for her life to stay in character and maintain her authority.
01:56Although even the most casual Judge Judy viewer knew that's a losing battle.
02:01The real judge took over the bench, essentially judging her own impersonator.
02:05Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye-bye, I got your back.
02:09Now you got it. Now you got it.
02:11She famously outshone Oteri with her trademark bluntness and basically out-judying the impression.
02:17Oteri revealed that the real Shineland had previously reached out to her to say how much she enjoyed the sketches,
02:24essentially paving the way for this cameo.
02:26Yeah, she called my manager. You tell Sherry, your client, she's almost got me.
02:30Number 8. President George H.W. Bush
02:33Dana Carvey's take on President George H.W. Bush is the stuff of SNL legend,
02:39right up there with Tina Fey's Sarah Palin.
02:41Lauren, you know, I just didn't think it was a realistic depiction of the way my press conferences would have
02:46gone.
02:47Yes, but it's obviously a heightened reality.
02:50Why couldn't we have done the 30 Rock sketch that I wrote?
02:53Honestly, not enough people know that show.
02:55So when Carvey returned to host, everyone knew his iconic impression would make a comeback.
03:01Only they stepped things up by having the real Bush appear on a pre-recorded feed.
03:05Saturday Night Live made fun of me on a fairly regular basis.
03:09Do I have any hard feelings about that?
03:12Yes, I do.
03:14In a brilliant twist, Bush started mimicking Carvey's signature hand chops and catchphrases,
03:19basically turning the tables and parodying his own impersonator.
03:23He's a friend of mine. Know him well.
03:26Now Barr and I hit him up to the White House.
03:28Bush walked off with a pen that had belonged to James Madison.
03:32Secret Service beat him up pretty good.
03:35I don't think he'll ever be walking off with anything else for a while.
03:38This spoke to their real-life friendship.
03:41Carvey often said Bush had a great sense of humor about himself
03:44and even wrote a touching tribute after the former president passed away in 2018.
03:49But as far as opening the show with Live from New York, I'm not going to do it.
03:53First of all, I'm in Houston. Wouldn't be true.
03:57And secondly, just not something I'd do.
04:00So Dana, have a good show.
04:02We'll be watching.
04:04And don't ever ask me to do anything again.
04:07Number 7, Sarah Paulson.
04:09Gen Z has truly taken stan culture to the next level.
04:13And this sketch is proof.
04:15Because you have made thousands of fancams of me, and I'm not sure what they mean.
04:19But I know it has to stop.
04:22But we make them because you're our beloved and you have us in a childhood.
04:27In a chaotic class assembly, a teacher tries to get to the bottom of his students' fancam edits.
04:33But the script is so packed with Gen Z slang that anyone over 25 probably needed subtitles.
04:39The main takeaway is Mr. Ben is father.
04:42And if he's father, then Sarah Paulson slash Miss Jenny is obviously mother.
04:48We've told you there is nothing going on between me and Mr. Ben.
04:53Oh really? Then explain this.
05:00Fans have been shipping this real-life friendship for ages thanks to their off-the-charts chemistry.
05:05Now, Paulson was giving the fans exactly what they wanted.
05:10Her cameo might have been brief, but she absolutely devoured the role.
05:15No crumbs left.
05:16He's daddy, I'm mommy, and we're all a happy family.
05:21No crumbs left.
05:23Number 6, Robert De Niro.
05:25Before he ever officially hosted, De Niro had already made his mark on SNL with some unforgettable surprise appearances.
05:33Like the time he popped up at the update desk to respond to Jimmy Fallon's so-so review of Meet
05:38the Parents, along with Fallon's impression of him.
05:41So, what did you say about my movie?
05:44I just said that, uh, I just said that it's basically, it's you just saying, uh, you're gonna meet me.
05:50You're gonna meet.
05:52You're gonna meet the parents.
05:53You're gonna meet me.
05:54Calm and collected, De Niro stared Fallon down in only a way he can, slowly breaking him down.
06:01Even though it was all for laughs, the tension felt real.
06:05A little bit.
06:06This is what you do.
06:08A little bit.
06:10A little bit, Tina.
06:12You were on your own.
06:14I just, I thought that maybe you think too much.
06:17This is Robert freakin' De Niro.
06:19Fallon needed nerves of steel to do that impression right in front of him.
06:24After letting him sweat it out, De Niro flipped the script and delivered a standing ovation-worthy impression of Jimmy.
06:30Well, that's the news.
06:31I'm Tina Fey.
06:32And I'm Jimmy Fallon.
06:35Number 5.
06:36Pedro Pascal, Mick Jagger, and Lady Gaga
06:39Why settle for one cameo when you can have three?
06:43When Bad Bunny took on double duty as host and musical guest in season 49,
06:48he brought some serious star power to back him up.
06:51I'm glad to be here with my favorite actor, Pedro Pascal.
06:58Pedro Pascal popped up not once, but twice.
07:02First in the monologue, giving a hilariously, um, accurate translation from Spanish to English,
07:07and later as Mama Flores, the overprotective mom.
07:11Fred Armisen made an appearance too,
07:13while Lady Gaga introduced the host before his musical performance.
07:23But the real jaw-dropper of the night may just have been Mick Jagger,
07:28who turned up in a telenovela parody.
07:30Talk about an all-star lineup.
07:32Soi tu papa, no me quer desu.
07:35Oh damn, tu papa is hot.
07:40Respetame.
07:41Oh!
07:42Oh!
07:43Oh!
07:44Number 4.
07:45Harry Styles.
07:46Not even a minute into his monologue,
07:49Ryan Gosling stopped mid-sentence and pointed to the front row, asking,
07:54Is that Harry Styles?
08:00Honestly, if Harry Styles were watching us, we'd probably get pretty flustered too,
08:05especially with him just sitting there being effortlessly cool.
08:08Every time Gosling tried to talk about his movie,
08:11the camera would cut to Harry, just listening coolly.
08:14He's Harry Styles.
08:16He can't help it.
08:17I'm sorry, why are we on Harry Styles?
08:21I don't know, I'm just listening.
08:25Well, could you listen less cool?
08:29It's like your coolness is becoming a bit of an issue.
08:32The best part came when Gosling realized his big monologue song
08:35was actually a Harry Styles track.
08:38Awkward.
08:39Somehow, Styles managed to do the least and the most at the same time.
08:43It was the perfect setup to remind everyone that he'd be hosting the very next week.
08:48You can't bribe your door on the way to the sky.
08:52It's like, why would his face be next to mine?
08:55You look pretty good down here.
08:57And he does look really good down there.
08:59Number 3, Leonardo DiCaprio
09:01DiCaprio has famously never hosted SNL,
09:05which is probably why no one saw this cameo coming.
09:08During his monologue, Jonah Hill was acting overly confident
09:12in Hollywood bragging about his second Oscar nomination
09:15and throwing shade at DiCaprio.
09:17I say, Marty, it's J.H.
09:19I'm ready to get in the ring together.
09:21He says, finally.
09:22Then I say, should we get DiCaprio on board?
09:25And Marty says, I don't know if he can handle it.
09:27Sure, he's a movie star.
09:28Right in the middle of his rant, DiCaprio strolls out on stage
09:32and the crowd goes wild.
09:34He slips into the role of the disappointed big brother,
09:37calling Jonah out for acting like a big shot.
09:40What did we say about acting like a big shot in public like this?
09:44We said that, like, I shouldn't do it,
09:48like I shouldn't do it, or whatever.
09:50Right.
09:50The best moment was when a suddenly sheepish Jonah
09:53admitted he was nervous
09:54and asked Leo if they could do the, quote,
09:57thing we used to do every day on set
10:00to calm his nerves.
10:01Am I flying, Jack?
10:04Yes, Rose.
10:06Yes, you're flying.
10:08Number 2.
10:09Paul McCartney.
10:10This sketch centers on a clash of the titans
10:13between SNL's two most decorated hosts.
10:16And to me having hosted as many times as you.
10:22You're tying my hosting record to...
10:24You know, I didn't know that.
10:25Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin,
10:27both members of the Platinum Lounge,
10:29an ultra-exclusive club for hosts
10:31to have reached the milestone of 12 hosting appearances,
10:34get competitive over their contributions.
10:37Martin Short makes a cameo in this sketch as a waiter,
10:40but the one who took us all by surprise
10:42was Paul McCartney.
10:44Mr. Baldwin, you're wanted in the studio.
10:50What makes this moment so iconic
10:52is Alec Baldwin's genuine shock.
10:55It is wildly reported that he wasn't told
10:57McCartney would be appearing.
10:59If you watch him, you'll see him break character,
11:02reacting in disbelief and looking genuinely starstruck.
11:05It is Paul Simon.
11:07It is Paul Simon.
11:08I gotta run.
11:10Hey, great to see you, champ.
11:11You gotta run.
11:12You too.
11:13Okay, then.
11:14Before we unveil our top pick,
11:16here are a few honorable mentions.
11:18Selena Gomez.
11:20Good to know that Steve Martin
11:21has planned for his future.
11:23Now that Marty's gone,
11:25who will I ever work with?
11:27What about me?
11:28I know how it is.
11:33We got a great show for you tonight.
11:35Eminem.
11:36Could the real Slim Shady
11:37please hold up his PS5?
11:39To Shady from Santa.
11:42That's crazy.
11:42A PS5?
11:43I didn't even ask for this.
11:45I guess Shady must have been a good boy this year.
11:47Sorry, Stu.
11:48Stormy Daniels.
11:50Her appearance certainly stirred up quite the storm.
11:53Sorry, Donald.
11:54It's too late for that.
11:55I know you don't believe in climate change,
11:57but a storm's a coming, baby.
11:59Kamala Harris.
12:00Talk about making a spectacle, la la la la.
12:03The American people want to stop the chaos
12:06and end the drama la.
12:08Taylor Swift.
12:09As the story goes,
12:11Swift and now-fiancé Travis Kelsey's cameos
12:14were totally impromptu.
12:15Once again, Ice Spice.
12:26Before we continue,
12:28check out this single from Sound Mojo's Adia,
12:31Songs from Iran,
12:32reimagining Persian melodies as modern rock,
12:35metal, and pop songs.
12:36Check out the full track and album below.
12:39Where are you, my love so near?
12:41Say the word and I'll appear.
12:43I wrote this song just for you
12:45to tell you what I always knew.
12:53Number 1.
12:55Barbara Streisand.
12:56This is hands down one of the most legendary
12:59lightning-in-a-bottle moments in SNL history.
13:02Oh my God!
13:07It's Barbara!
13:09It's Barbara!
13:10During a Coffee Talk sketch,
13:12Mike Myers was joined by Madonna and Roseanne Barr.
13:16The trio lamented Barbara Streisand's Oscar snub,
13:19insisted she was like Budda.
13:21And then who should walk in but the legend herself,
13:24Barbara Streisand.
13:25Barbara, we love you.
13:28Hello, gorgeous.
13:30The movie was like Budda.
13:32Like Budda.
13:33Myers apparently had a heads up she might turn up,
13:36but Madonna and Roseanne Barr were completely in the dark.
13:40Their stunned reactions were 100% authentic.
13:44Streisand didn't stick around for a full sketch.
13:47She just blew kisses, hugged the stunned performers,
13:50and waved to the crowd before heading out.
13:52Honestly, we're still verklempt.
13:54Oh, it's Barbara!
13:56She's like Budda!
13:58She is like Budda!
14:00I can die now!
14:02I can die, Budda, you're beautiful!
14:06I'm a clever friend!
14:07Is there another cameo that surprised you?
14:09Let us know in the comments!
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