“Saturday Night Live” recap: Olivia Rodrigo doubles as host and musical guest
“Saturday Night Live” recap: Olivia Rodrigo doubles as host and musical guest
Andy HoglundSun, May 3, 2026 at 3:51 AM UTC
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Host Olivia Rodrigo in an 'SNL' promo on Tuesday, April 28, 2026Credit: Rosalind O'Connor/NBC
We are in the home stretch! It’s SNL in Review, for the first of the final three episodes of season 51. Olivia Rodrigo is back at 8H and this time she’s hosting! She’s been the musical guest twice before, including during season 46.
Double duty can be tricky, and that’s why tonight I’m glad to be joined again by former SNL cast member John Milhiser. His season had a few examples of this — including, as previously discussed, Lady Gaga. Milhiser offers tonight that “if you're a big enough star and personality, of course, you can do double duty. It's rare, and it's about the moment. Olivia is having her moment. Let her cook.”
Besides Gaga, Milhiser saw two other cases of hosts pulling double duty. The second episode of the season, in fact, was Miley Cyrus. Milhiser recalls really enjoying his time with Cyrus, and “she visited SNL a few times that season. She was young, having fun, in her "wild" days. I never thought she was that wild, to be honest. ‘Wrecking Ball’ was the best song. Her performance of ‘Wrecking Ball’ is legendary. From her, when she did double duty. I still have her Bangerz CD she signed for me. I've never played it because I didn't have a CD player. Another fun fact, for some reason, I kept her Bangerz CD in my sock drawer for years.”
Then, months later, was Drake. He “was HUGE when he hosted. It was the era of DRAKE,” says Milhiser. “Everyone was obsessed. My cousin Keith and his son Morgan came as my guests to that show. Morgan was a big fan of Drake. I wanted to be the cool uncle, so I made it a priority to introduce Morgan to Drake. Luckily, Drake was sitting at a table by himself, a few tables away from us. The stars were aligned. I said to Morgan, ‘You ready to go meet Drake?’ We walked over to Drake's table, and just when I was about to open my mouth to say ‘Hi!’ Drake's bodyguard steps in front and PUSHES me away. Very embarrassing. Drake stepped in and said, ‘No! It's okay. He's on the cast.’ The bodyguard didn't recognize me. Can you blame him? Anytoot, Drake was very nice to my cousin's son. Morgan got a great picture with him. I became a cool uncle that night thanks to Drake. He'll always hold a special place in my heart.”
Scroll below for more insights —hopefully we get some memories out of tonight that rival John’s!
Cold Open
You’re watching a span of your life watching C-Span. We join Karoline Leavitt (Ashley Padilla), who is four, five seconds from wilding — or actually, introducing a very cringe Pete Hegseth (Colin Jost). “Is it true you suck?” he asks the press. He proceeds to call them virgins and theater kids. Hegseth just clashed for a few days with Democrats in Congress over the Iran war.
Ah, time for some stunt casting: Aziz Ansari comes out as the under siege FBI Director Kash Patel. This is precedent-setting. He’s the first Indian person to suck at their job. We touch on recent headlines, Ansari does a commendable job, given the obviousness of the casting. (He hosted back in season 42 FYI!)
Monologue
Rodrigo’s favorite cast is from when she was in high school —so, Sarah Sherman, Mikey Day, Kenan Thompson, and Chloe Fineman were cast members! Ha.
When she was 6, she began acting in Old Navy commercials, even joining a Disney Channel show opposite Jake Paul. We get a fake outtake from the ad, and she lands a nice joke about Netflix. She mentions the time she fell off stage at a concert.
Mentioning “Drivers License,” she performs a spoof sequel. This time, she’s going to the DMV. Pretty entertaining! John Milhiser comments, “Love O-Rod. For a young artist, she brings a remarkable blend of self-assuredness, vulnerability, and musical reverence. Her kind of sugar-coated pop punk with just rough-enough edges is the perfect vehicle for her Gen Z blasé confessionalism, and humor is all throughout her songwriting.”
"Edge of Destiny"
Pluto TV has the best old TV shows. Diana (Chloe Fineman) follows down the stairs melodramatically after a fight with Rodrigo. Her son and family attorney follow suit, tumbling down the steps. I can’t tell if Rodrigo is in character when she’s poorly reading the cue cards… or if that’s just her performance style!
The stair-falling escapades continue, with Kenan falling with multiple dinner glasses. Rodrigo mugs, as the audience bursts into applause.
Midnight Matinee
Rodrigo sings again! This time, harmonizing about her bedroom—her glow-in-the-dark stars, mood ring, TV, boy-band posters. But here’s the one issue: she lives in a zoo in the bug people planet! Fun twist! It’s a perfect bedroom with the exception that she’s entertainment for these alien monster gawkers.
Nice Dan Bulla short.
"Shop TV: Lava Cake"
And we are back to spoofing TV. We have seen this a couple of times before, including with Sabrina Carpenter. Padilla continues to replace Heidi Gardner as the slick, cheerful co-host. Tim Tucker Neeb (Johnson) is selling a new Nazareth book.
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Daisy Rae Rutledge joins the southern hosts (Padilla, Day) —she’s selling her famous lava cake and reusable tin. And here’s the visual comedic punchline: the cake looks like a butthole. OK then. Like usual, the sketch centers on a straightforward visual gag: upbeat hosts enthusiastically sell products that are clearly ridiculous, growing stranger the longer they’re shown. The hosts must keep smiling through the escalating chaos. I guess this is an easy premise for a weak host.
"My Ex"
Kevin consoles Brianna after a break-up. She asks him to pretend to make her date tonight. Her ex, Duncan, is at the same birthday dinner, and he also asks the strange woman next to him (Padilla) to do the same thing. So both exes are trying to make the other jealous… but Padilla is in rare form, being very loud and physical, including ripping off his shirt.
Olivia Rodrigo performs “Drop Dead”
Deborah Harry introduces Rodrigo! Very fun surprise — this kind of cameo I can support. She hosted way back in season 6, introducing hip-hop to a national audience. (Blondie also was the musical guest in season 5, and Harry performed on season 12.)
This is a fun performance by Rodrigo. John Milhiser recalls having “Guts on repeat for months, and I can't stop listening to the new single "Drop Dead." Can't wait for the album and her upcoming tour! I'll be there with my niece Dorothy, screaming our rebellious heads off.”
I like the gravestone too. Catchy song, like John says!
"Weekend Update"
Jokes about Spirit Airlines! And King Charles’ visit to the U.S. Michael Che makes a “too real” joke about the Supreme Court decimating the Voting Rights Act. Che also briefly impersonates Kate McKinnon’s old Rudy Giuliani impression!
The news is heavy is this week, but "Weekend Update" is not afraid to take on the tough issues. Alex Cooper, host of Call Her Daddy, and Alix Earle, the TikTok influencer, are embroiled in a public feud involving fake drama and passive-aggressive behavior around their former business partnership. The goofy conflict came from Earle leaving Cooper’s Unwell Network after her podcast was dropped. They have one conclusion: Che is an enemy to white women. Fun work by Fineman and Veronika Slowikowska.
Kam Patterson comes out to discuss Megan Thee Stallion splitting from Dallas Mavericks' Klay Thompson after allegations of cheating. Kam doesn't know Klay, or even Moulin Rogue. It's written phonetically on the cue cards. To him? Megan needs a real man, he offers. He describes her ideal candidate, conveniently describing himself... Patterson is not in many sketches, but he's finding his voice more every week! I like the play to the audience, a la Billy Murray back in the day.
Busted
Yikes. More music. This time involving Marcello Hernandez. Rodrigo’s “faithful fiancé” gets called out by her suspicious partner. This is like if R. Kelly’s “Trapped in the Closet” was performed by Ja Rule or someone equally poorly equipped for this kind of material.
Fineman and Johnson as a robber and his sleazy mistress acquit themselves way better than the leads. I will always support the show being ambitious, even when it does not quite work!
Olivia Rodrigo performs "Begged"
Connor Storrie returns to 8H, this time introducing Rodrigo’s second performance! This is a new, previously unreleased song.
"Uber Ride"
Andrew Dismukes is a ride-share driver picking up Slowikowska and Rodrigo. The song changes, and suddenly Dismukes is rapping a Jamaican dance hall song with references to jerk chicken. Great work from Dismukes, he’s conflicted about being a talented white rasta guy. Silly, but very enjoyable.
And I am reminded about Slowikowska’s work a few weeks back chasing Harry Styles around a White Castle. Similar slice of life vibe, in a way.
"Home Security Ad"
Safeguard is the first technology that is guaranteed to go viral! TikTokkers will ask invasive questions to criminals. Sidewalk takes for robbers! Kam Patterson crowd work! Cory Booker appearances!
Final Thoughts -
Thank you so much for the stories and insights, John Milhiser! As always, check him out on Instagram @JohnMilhiser. He’s also in the new animated show Kevin on Prime Video, where he plays Jared, a horny fish.
Enough of my thoughts – you should weigh in! Yeah, YOU! Vote here.
Some interesting recurring motifs tonight -- robbers, musical performance, Kam Patterson charm offensive.
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
