Top 10 Times Kate McKinnon Broke the SNL Cast

Kate McKinnon has a knack for out-there impressions of political figures like Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Rather than trying to be as accurate as possible, she instead turns the Supreme Court justice into a wild child. The performer’s version of Ginsburg speaks her mind to the point of making “Weekend Update” host Colin Jost lose it. She also finds time to eat a bunch of Emergen-C powder, taking the segment into the wonderful world of physical comedy. McKinnon’s antics earn her laughter from the audience and her co-stars. Clearly dedicated to the performance, the comedian goes for broke and steals the show with some dancing.

As a creepy bar patron, Kate McKinnon shows that she’s nothing short of a fearless performer. This version of the recurring sketch features a hookup with the equally daring Dave Chappelle. McKinnon and her scene partner push the boundaries of good taste, eventually driving Kenan Thompson to the edge. Their water fountain act breaks up Thompson in a hilarious finale. Given some of the chaotic lines and physical comedy from this skit, it’s incredible that he lasted as long as he did. The writers of this script must have been begging for someone to break with this crazy hookup.

For this scene, Debette Goldry is a spunky actress who explains the hardships of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Alongside younger performers, the character recounts the harassment she endured from men in the olden days. Goldry also has a positivity about her that’s infectious, making her comments sound nonchalant coming from her. McKinnon’s performance still manages to get scene partner Margot Robbie breaking before it’s all over. Robbie clearly holds it together as best she can, but can’t help it after some of her co-star’s funniest lines. It makes for a round table discussion full of surprising revelations and laughs.

Back for a second round, Ryan Gosling joins Cecily Strong and Kate McKinnon once more to describe his communication with aliens. The latter performer cranks up the sketch early with her mannerisms and wild stories. Gosling even becomes McKinnon’s helper, posing as a model for an extra-terrestrial demonstration. The host shakes with laughter as his co-star goes off on a lengthy speech about her encounter. While you might’ve thought this wouldn’t be funny a second time, the skit proves itself with a few inventive changes. It’s clear that the cast is still smitten with McKinnon’s character once more.

Channeling a rural Russian woman, Kate McKinnon disappears into the part of Olya Povlatsky. Her character’s segment about the Sochi Olympics is much more than a sports announcement, delving into Povlatsky’s personal life. This includes horror stories from her country and her interpretation of “laughing.” “Weekend Update” host Seth Meyers tries to keep up and frequently chuckles through the funny routine. McKinnon’s ability to switch emotions on a dime causes her co-star to hold back laughter several times. When asked about her dating life, the character produces more giggles with her attempts to use hip lingo. Meyers clearly shows that he enjoys the exchange as much as the viewers do.

Brought together to talk about acting, the star-studded cast of this sketch tries to have a serious talk. The discussion quickly derails after Kate McKinnon’s Debette Goldry takes over. Her descriptions of Hollywood are wacky and sometimes awful trips down disturbing lanes, making co-stars like Leslie Jones crack up. It’s all so ridiculous and unexpected that you can’t help but laugh at McKinnon’s performance. Seated next to the comedian, Emma Stone really loses it as she listens to Goldry’s explanations. The breaking only makes this entertaining skit all the more hilarious as a result. We don’t blame Stone either because we’d probably be laughing a whole lot more with this kind of script.

Among the more entertaining duos on the show, Aidy Bryant and Kate McKinnon have a history of making each other laugh on screen. This sketch about an apple farm doesn’t stray from that tradition. The duo comes together to advertise an awful place to find fruit, complete with some details that start to crack them up. McKinnon can barely take it anymore as she crumbles under the hilarious banter. Both her and Bryant eventually regain their composure long enough to finish the funny commercial. With the added benefit of watching two friends laugh, this skit is even better than it initially sounds.

Not every “Weekend Update” segment has to be a Pulitzer-winning piece of writing. This appearance from Kate McKinnon’s character Dr. Wenowdis proves this, providing a hilarious premise with a simple joke and enjoyable voice. The talented performer has a tough time getting through her own skit as she keeps using the same play on words. Breaking the host Colin Jost, McKinnon is having a blast throughout. She also seems to be losing her composure and maybe even her sanity. By the end, the premise comes together like an inside joke that everybody on stage visibly loves.

With some incredibly precise writing, it’s difficult not to cackle at this premise involving a sketchy hotel. An eclectic bunch of staff members run down all of the amenities for guests. Billie Eilish hides her laughter behind a smile as her co-star checks off one absurd item after the other. At one point, the singer breaks because McKinnon decides to nudge her. The latter’s chaotic energy fuels a script that can’t be beaten. Having to stand next to the comedian throughout the skit, Eilish has a front-row seat to laugh along with the audience.

In one of her greatest recurring sketches, Kate McKinnon owns the scene as someone describing an alien encounter. Her co-stars have a hard time listening to her without losing it. While the other survivors have pleasant stories, McKinnon’s character goes off on tangents that get crazier than the next. The lines become so strange and hilarious that most of the cast holds back laughs. As for the host Ryan Gosling, he can barely contain himself during the sketch’s climax. It’s easy to see this skit going down as one of the performer’s best on the show for its contagious laughter.