On air since 1975, Saturday Night Live has earned its place as one of television’s longest‑running comedy powerhouses. Across its 48 seasons, the show’s most enduring and beloved recurring segment is the Weekend Update, where one or two anchors deliver quick‑fire news headlines topped with razor‑sharp jokes. The format is a guaranteed laugh‑generator, blending snappy commentary with topical relevance, and the 10 best snl moments showcase why it remains a cultural touchstone.
10 best snl: The Ultimate Countdown
10. Adam Sandler on Hanukkah
Our first entry hurls us back to the mid‑1990s, when Norm Macdonald still helmed the desk. In this clip, Adam Sandler opens up about feeling like the odd Jewish kid amid a sea of Christmas carols, lamenting the scarcity of Hanukkah tunes.
In response, he pens a catchy Hanukkah anthem that rattles off a roster of famous faces whose Jewish roots aren’t widely recognized. It’s a goofy, feel‑good jam that surely lifted the spirits of any kid who’d ever felt left out.
We love his clever rhymes—think “Scrooge is” paired with “Stooges”—and, of course, the sheer joy of hearing Sandler break into song.
9. Will Smith and Chris Rock Slap Attack
Sliding into ninth place is the most timely of the lot—a rapid‑fire recap of the infamous 2022 Oscars slap. The Weekend Update starts with its usual, if slightly eerie, headline rundown, then—boom!—the punchline zeroes in on Will Smith’s Oscar‑night shenanigans, turning the entire segment into a roast of that wild moment. (We couldn’t stop talking about it either!)
The anchors eventually drift back to more conventional news, with a standout gag about a certain politician’s claim of being invited to a coke‑fuelled orgy.
8. Get in the Cage with Nicolas Cage and Nicolas Cage
This quirky entry features the legendary Nicolas Cage—well, actually Andy Samberg in a bald cap—joining Seth Meyers to announce that there are now two Cages. Apparently, the original Nick couldn’t keep up with his own ambition to appear in every movie ever made, so he cloned himself to share the workload. But which one is the clone?
The humor peaks when the “original” Cage subtly critiques his clone’s botched impression, leaving the duplicate visibly wounded. In retaliation, the clone showers Nick with flowery, backhanded compliments, describing his “eyes that sparkle and pierce the hearts of women both old and middle‑aged alike.”
7. Pete Davidson and John Mulaney Review Clint Eastwood’s The Mule
Claiming seventh spot, this clip pairs John Mulaney—one of our personal favorites—with Pete Davidson, who both dive into their shared obsession with Clint Eastwood’s film The Mule. Their banter paints vivid pictures of how they’d look hanging out together, likening themselves to a “crazy man and his lawyer” or a “basketball coach and his most wayward trainee.”
The duo’s description of the movie’s madness convinced us to add it to our must‑watch list. Mulaney dubs it “a superhero film for old people,” while noting that Eastwood apparently wrote himself into not one but two sex scenes.
We’re now itching to see how the world’s oldest drug smuggler navigates this wild narrative.
6. Pete Davidson on Staten Island
Landing at six, Pete Davidson teams up with Colin Jost, both hailing from Staten Island, to reveal how the borough treats Davidson differently. He lays down his unfiltered feelings, even suggesting a hurricane might be the perfect way to cleanse the island, while the contrast with Jost adds extra spice.
“You represent what they could be,” Davidson tells Jost, “the kid who got out… I represent what they are—a mentally ill college dropout with a Game of Thrones tattoo before watching the show.” His self‑deprecating humor about dire‑wolf tattoos lands perfectly.
5. Colin Jost and Michael Che Switch Jokes
This clip strips away any guest stars, delivering classic headlines paired with sharp jokes—yet with a twist! As the season wraps, Jost and Che swap jokes, forcing each other to read material they haven’t rehearsed live on air.
The resulting barbs leave both anchors looking hilariously hapless, especially when Jost reacts to a graphic he knows will spark controversy. The whole exchange is a masterclass in improv roast, complete with baffling wet‑clothing moments that remain a mystery.
We love the rapid‑fire back‑and‑forth, proving that even routine news can become comedic gold.
4. Pete Davidson on Kanye West
At fourth place, this bit has aged like fine wine. The sketch opens with a tongue‑in‑cheek rationale for choosing Davidson over Che: “’Cause Che’s black, but I’m crazy,” Davidson quips, adding, “and we both know which side of Kanye’s at the wheel right now!”
The highlight is a tape review of Davidson’s reaction to Kanye’s alarming speech from the previous week. “‘I want a career!’ So I leave,” he jokes, launching into a brutal roast of Kanye’s antics, peppered with self‑deprecating humor.
Our favorite line comes when Davidson asks, “Can you imagine that T‑shirt was the second stupidest thing I was wearing?”
3. Stefon on Autumn’s Hottest Tips
Third on the list, Bill Hader returns as the eccentric city correspondent Stefon, ready to equip tourists with the season’s hottest NYC hangouts. His descriptions are delightfully bizarre—like “the vibe and sight is strange yet familiar, like seeing Seinfeld billboards in a Puerto Rican neighborhood.”
The outlandish details often crack Hader out of character, but Stefon’s habit of hiding his face behind his hands saves the day. His unapologetic openness about his sexuality adds another layer of comedy, leaving hosts squirming and audiences roaring.
2. Rachel from Friends on ’90s Nostalgia
Runner‑up features Vanessa Bayer’s spot‑on impersonation of Jennifer Aniston’s iconic Rachel Green. Her signature “uhs” and “ohs” nail the character, and while she stumbles, the real Rachel appears to set her straight.
The sketch spirals meta when Aniston mimics Bayer’s impression, prompting Bayer to double‑down, sending the whole exchange into delightful chaos. The pinnacle is Aniston’s sigh of defeat, realizing she truly sounds like herself.
1. Rebecca Larue, the Flirting Expert
Claiming the top spot, Kristen Wiig’s Rebecca Larue bursts onto the desk as the ultimate flirting guru—no tips, just pure action. The thumbnail alone (her legs splayed wide, scooting toward Seth Meyers) leaves no doubt about her intentions.
Our favorite moment is when she collapses into tears to elicit sympathy after Meyers repeatedly rebuffs her advances, only to snap back into a giddy, high‑school‑girl persona. At times, it truly feels like she’s romantically interested in the host!
11. Honorable Mention: The Late Great Norm Macdonald
Before the era of Jost, Che, Meyers, and even Tina Fey, Norm Macdonald reigned supreme as the Weekend Update host. Chevy Chase even lauded him as “the only other guy who did the segment funny.” His timing, delivery, and unflappable composure made jokes feel as integral as the news itself.
Macdonald’s favorite gag was repeatedly riffing on O.J. Simpson, even when the story had nothing to do with the infamous case. One standout moment at the 6:22 mark leaves the audience unsure whether the jokes are sexist, with his line, “Now you don’t know what the hell to do, do ya?” echoing through the studio.
His legacy endures as a benchmark for sharp, deadpan satire that still inspires today’s Update anchors.