Nikki Glaser makes her hosting debut

Hi all — the infamous SNL in Review episode guide is here, for your reading pleasure. 

Tonight should be a fun one – Nikki Glaser is hosting. It’s overdue; I am pretty sure she’s been circling a host appearance for a minute now. Always enjoy a good stand-up driven show! She’ll be joined by fellow SNL first-timer Sombr as the musical guest.

I am joined tonight by the fantastic John Milhiser. He says: “I love Nikki. I’ve been a fan of her for many years. I saw her backstage a few years ago and she remembered my name. I was honored. I met her way back in the day in New York. Our paths may have crossed once or twice but she’s always been super nice. I remember how exciting it was when she and Sara Schaefer got their show Nikki and Sara Live on MTV. And now she’s hosting SNL. God, I love the climb. ‘It’s the climb.’ – Miley Cyrus.” Yes! 

Almost 85 percent of you seemed to enjoy last week’s episode with Miles Teller. Hopefully that holds for tonight!

Cold Open

It’s the White House, and pharmaceutical leaders like the CEO of Eli Lilly are discussing lowering the drugs in the Oval Office when someone passes out. RFK Jr. sprints out of the room. Trump (James Austin Johnson) freezes time, and delivers a monologue. This is ripped from the news, our dark timeline. Dr. Oz is on the case.

Trump discusses this week’s elections, and how they are a rebuke of his policies. Well, he says, they’re actually Stephen Miller’s! The modern SNL cold open comfort food — just JAJ monologuing as our current president.

Other topics: SNAP! He talks about the terrible issues going on with airline travel and the government shutdown. Next up! “Stealing Christmas!” 

Monologue

Glaser confidently comes on stage with a mic and jokes about being at Epstein’s original island. Like the cold open, she’s holding court on the news of the day and other topics: getting a spray tan (like Trump!), what she does after getting her nails done, her boyfriend’s height. She’s been obsessed with slavery lately. She bought a lot of Gen Z friends. She jokes they’re safe with her out in public, as she has “resting Ghislaine face.” I can’t do this justice — it’s pretty funny, watch it! 

Earlier this year, Glaser memorably hosted the Golden Globes, striking the balance for what can be an occasionally thankless gig. Milhiser concurs, saying, “she was smart, funny, and charming. She was the moment and now she’s the DECADE.”

He adds: “I love her work ethic. I also loved her reality show, Welcome Home Nikki Glaser, where you got a glimpse into her family life and her hometown. It was really endearing to see where she came from and how connected she is to her roots. I love her Mom. It was at the end of the pandemic yet she still grinded to find a way to make content. I’m just realizing now that I’ll watch anything Nikki Glaser does.” Yes! Fitting words, since she’s currently holding court at 8H.

“Karaoke Night”

Tommy Brennan is out with his new girlfriend, Sarah Sherman, and his family for a karaoke dinner. DJ Figalicious (Kenan Thompson) announces it’s Brennan and his sister’s (Glaser) turn. They very closely perform Goo Goo Doll’s “Iris” and Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You.” (SNL has history with this song…) Turns out the siblings lived in the same room together until she went off to college.

This sketch features a nice Kenan reaction shot.

“Spirit Tunnel Anxiety”

This is very funny! Foreboding and dread is consuming celebrities scheduled to dance on The Jennifer Hudson Show. Take this medication: Hudsacilian. It doesn’t teach you to be fun, or how to dance… it just makes you violently ill so you have to cancel. (Hudson commented on why she’s never hosted the show a few months back.) These spirit tunnels can go viral but also be very awkward. 

This is biting, but also makes sense to not take a jab at anyone… well, beyond Marcello Hernandez! I approve.

Mr. Beast

Belle (Glaser) has come to rescue her father in Beast’s castle. She offers to take his place – but it isn’t just any beast, it’s YouTube’s MrBeast (Ben Marshall).

Jimmy Donaldson is the 27-year-old online content creator and entrepreneur known as MrBeast. With more than 446 million YouTube subscribers, his channel is the most subscribed on YouTube. He is also the third-most-followed creator on TikTok. This sketch essentially spoofs his brand partnerships and bland style.

American Girl XL

Women love their childhood dolls. Well, not just women – creepy men are treating them like sex dolls. Some look like historical figures, like Kam Patterson’s sister-in-law! Gross.

Mechanical Bull

It’s a bachelorette party and two drunk friends (Glaser, Sherman) get on the bar’s bull. As James Austin Johnson croons, Andre (Thompson) sets the setting to Bon Voyage, sending “two drunk bitches on a runaway mechanical bull!”

Time warps and they are targeted by bombing at sea, picking up Galileo along the way, Bill & Ted style. The song is the big selling point here.

Sombr’s first performance

Love the Mick Jagger-style red suit. Using his falsetto vocals, this was one of the songs of the summer, blending ’80s synth-pop and new wave, with touches of ’70s-era funk and blues.

Milhiser first saw Sombr on the MTV Video Music Awards this summer, where he performed “12 to 12.” “I was all, ‘Turn this up. I can groove to this for sure.’ Then I did my white man’s overbite and moved my hips.”

Sombr was just nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys. Milhiser has “been listening to Sombr for the past few months. I try to be young and hip as much as possible, and music is the best way to be fly. 6,7.”

“Weekend Update”

Our anchors tackle the recent election and government shutdown. Michael Che makes an OJ joke, Norm would be proud. Later he makes a Michael Jackson joke – the ’90s are back, Colin!

Colin’s ferry with Pete Davidson was recently called a money losing fiasco. More on this is… Pete Davidson! In case you were wondering why he did a show in Saudi Arabia, Pete’s back baby. He makes a funny joke about not giving up like Lorne Michaels, even though Tine Fey is ready to take over. Classic Pete. “It’s now this and Chad!” he jokes. It is nice seeing Pete back at Update after a few seasons. Wow, very short Update.

Delta Gamma

A frat guy in a hyper realistic mask has infiltrated the sorority! Ashley Padilla accuses Alyssa. Fun reveal at the end. 

Brad and His Dad

SNL Presents! Mikey Day created this cartoon with Streeter Seidel. Brad’s divorced dad tries to bond with his sluggish, introverted, mouth-breather son. A bit strange! Like an early Mike Judge short for the show.

Flight

Passengers have been sitting on the runway for a half hour. The flight attendant (Glaser) blames Mamdani. The captain (Johnson) keeps updating them… about the women he is being matched with on his dating app profile. 

Sarah Sherman and Andrew Dismukes have a cute moment making each other smile at one point.

“Back to Friends” — Sombr’s second performance

“Back to Friends” was the lead single from his debut studio album I Barely Know Her. Previously, he performed this song on the The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon as well as noted earlier, the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, where its music video won Best Alternative Video.

Interesting to see him hanging around the stage for this performance. Eh.

Anna

In an Alice in Wonderland-style premise, Anna (Glaser) has returned to Meadowland. She gives a pinwheel as a present to two odd woodland creatures, played by Mikey Day and Jeremy Culhane. They love it, they are so filled with wonder. Eventually, their wonder grates on Glaser and the rest of the forest. Finally a good showcase for Culhane, who had a really fun behind-the-scenes Magic Johnson-themed video released online (then deleted by the show!)

Milhiser says: “I’m so excited for America to meet and fall in love with Jeremy Culhane. He is one of the funniest, hard-working sketch comedy actors out there. I’ve worked with him at UCB LA. He’s got a lot up his sleeve. He’s about to hog wild, I can feel it. My favorite memory with him was on the UCB stage during ASSSSketch, where I played a lady eating a very loud salad during a guided meditation hour. I made him break. I’ve been a fan of his work for years. He made these hilarious videos with Patrick McDonald, where it’s four guys making TikTok videos about, ‘Which friend are you in the friend group?’ with Benson Boone playing in the background. Then it turns ominous and it’s revealed they’ve all been murdered. It’s great. Everyone should follow @Jazzy_Jelly on the gram. Jeremy will be SNL royalty.”

(Milhiser also loves Day, who was working for the show when he was a cast member.) Fun 10-to-1. An-na, no hard vowel!

Final thoughts…

— Well, how do you vote? 

— Thank you, as always, to the stupendous John Milhiser! Love his insights and commentary. Follow him on IG please. I asked what it was like getting married at Union Station this summer. He shares: “All aboard! Where do I begin? Getting married in a train station was a dream come true. I love trains. Every year, I set up a train set and village under my Christmas tree. It takes up so much space. Union Station was the perfect place for us to bring all the people we love together. We wanted our guests to have a real Los Angeles experience and live in that Hollywood glamour for a night. The Fred Harvey Room at Union Station looks the same as it did in the 1940s. Huge windows, high ceilings, beautiful tiles, extravagant parrot wallpaper. It felt like we were in a movie. People dressed to impress. Christina Collins at Love Loud Events helped us put on the perfect wedding. Everyone should hire her! I love Union Station. Please go visit when you can. Take a train ride!” Congrats to him!

— Light show for Marcello this week. Did we see him at all besides the goodnights and the one photo cameo?