Episode 47: Nikki Glaser (S51E05)
SNL101
We discuss Nikki Glaser’s first time hosting on . bringing her bold, boundary-pushing comedy to network broadcast television. Glaser's —filled with taboo humor about rape, trafficking, and pedophilia—was a masterclass in “gross-out” comedy where Glaser targets herself rather than others. Charisse compares Glaser to John Waters, Luvell connects the episode to philosophical debates about ethical taboos in humor, and Chuck situates it in a tradition of transgressive film comedies like Scary Movie, Road Trip, and Serial Mom. Readings include Film Comedy by Geoff King and the Politico...
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Episode 46: Miles Teller (S51E04)
SNL101
We discuss Miles Teller’s second time hosting on . The episode was uneven, it was technically good but lacked “flavor.” We discuss how we could use “” in class to discuss the true crime genre, strategic use of archetypes in comedy, and using gendered dynamics in screenwriting. Readings feature Ralph Ellison, Richard Butsch, and a history of true crime from Jstor Daily, as well as films that comment on intimacy in relationships including On Golden Pond (1981) and Together (2025).
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S51E03 BONUS: A Conversation with Michelle Santosuosso
SNL101
Charisse chats with Michelle Santosuosso, a pioneering voice in hip-hop radio, a music industry veteran, about Sabrina Carpenter’s recent SNL appearance and album rollout. They analyze the performance’s marketing strategy, sanitized humor, and sexuality themes, comparing Carpenter’s authenticity to Taylor Swift’s image control. The discussion also examines SNL’s evolving cultural risks, streaming-era language freedom, and music industry promotion dynamics.
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Episode 45: Sabrina Carpenter (S51E03)
SNL101
There were a lot of thoughts on Sabrina Carpenter’s first time hosting on . This iteration may have hit its stride, but may have underutilized Sabrina’s talents. We discuss as well as Jost’s joke about . We also hear from , Professor of Practice at Newhouse’s Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries, about Sabrina’s career trajectory and the role of SNL in the music business.
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Episode 44: Amy Poehler (S51E02)
SNL101
We discuss Any Poehler’s second time solo hosting on October 11, 2025. We talk about Emo Mom through the lens of liminality on both ends of adulthood, in adolescence and menopause, as well as gendered differences in aging, and representations of grief. Readings include an article about the We Do Not Care Club and Kendrick Lamar’s Die Hard.
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Episode 43: Bad Bunny (S51E01)
SNL101
In this season premiere episode hosted by , we discuss the and satirizing authoritarianism. Readings include a new essay from Luvell Anderson and a classic 1940 essay from Rudolf Arnheim reflecting on the effectiveness of Chaplin’s seminal satire The Great Dictator (1940). We also include a clip of discussing the reception of Archie Bunker.
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Season 51 Pregame
SNL101
Charisse, Luvell, and Chuck get together before the premiere of SNL Season 50 to talk about hopes, dreams, and fears for the new season. We also discuss , Bargatze's opening sketch at the 2025 Emmys.
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Episode 42: Scarlett Johannson (S50E20)
SNL101
After a year of celebrations, reflections, and clip shows, Scarlett Johansson hosts the season finale of the 50th season on for a record-setting seventh time. We talk about the power of news parody with and , as well as the complexity of humorous gaze with and food Ethics in . We also discuss and .
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Episode 41: Walton Goggins (S50E19)
SNL101
Walton Goggins’ hosting debut on was a wild romp that embraced his newfound sex symbol status and delivered hearty guffaws and gasps. We discuss the construction of slapstick with and the complexity of racial representation in , both segments on Weekend Update, as well as the humor potential of revealing intimate spaces in . We also break down and . Readings include a reflection on Commedia Dell’Arte, an interview with Sofia Veragara, and reflections on the second amendment from legal scholars to Dave Chappelle.
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Episode 40: Quinta Brunson (S50E19)
SNL101
Quinta Brunson was a delight in her second time hosting on . Her presence was refreshing and she carried her sketches with a joy that was infectious. We discuss the inside humor of racial epithets on , the complicated experience of laughing at oneself in and , and the racial politics of time in . Readings include a SCOTUS briefing on racial epithets, explorations of intersectional womanhood, and “The Chronopolitics of Racial Time,” a 2020 essay by Charles Mills. Check out more videos in additional resources along with our reflections on .
info_outlinePaul Mescal puts on an adequate performance in his SNL debut on December 7, 2024. We discuss spontaneity, creativity, and social comparison in Italian Restaurant Commercial, representations of masculinity in Please Don’t Destroy: Paul Mescal is Daddy, and the inconsistent appeal of multi and cross genre content in Gladiator II: The Musical and Shaboozy’s A Bar Song (Tipsy). Readings including a meta analysis of social comparison, philosophy and psychology of creativity, and a review of genre performances at the box office.