18 Celebs Who Seriously Hated Their "Saturday Night Live" Impressions (And Why)

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When Chloe Fineman impersonated her, Carole Baskin said, "I could conscionable slap that woman!"

From Jay Pharoah's President Obama to Kate McKinnon's Justin Bieber, the Saturday Night Live formed has delivered immoderate earnestly iconic impressions implicit the years. However, not each content is well-received — particularly by the radical they're impersonating.

Here are 18 celebs who criticized their SNL impressions:

1. THE CONTEXT: White Lotus histrion Aimee Lou Wood has gotten a batch of attraction — and praise! — for her earthy teeth (especially successful airy of the popularity of veneers successful Hollywood). She told The Jonathan Ross Show, "It feels truthful lovely. A existent full-circle infinitesimal aft being bullied for my teeth forever. Now radical are clapping successful an audience."

Person with agelong  wavy hair, wearing an off-the-shoulder top, appears connected  a speech   amusement   acceptable   with a cityscape backdrop

THE SKETCH: "The White POTUS" parodied The White Lotus Season 3 by adding Donald Trump, his family, and different salient governmental figures arsenic characters. In a country with Jon Hamm arsenic RFK Jr., Sarah Sherman played a mentation of Chelsea, Aimee's character, with exaggerated teeth and an over-the-top fake accent.

Jon says he's been having insane ideas similar  taking fluoride retired  of the drinking water, and Sarah questions what fluoride is past    points retired  a monkey

THE CRITICISM: After dispelling rumors that idiosyncratic astatine HBO had called her "ugly" connected her Instagram story, Aimee said, "But whilst successful honorable mode — I did find the SNL happening mean and unfunny." In a follow-up post, she added, "Such a shame, cuz I had specified a large clip watching it a mates weeks ago. Yes, instrumentality the piss for definite – but determination indispensable beryllium a cleverer, much nuanced, little inexpensive way?" Sharing a DM from idiosyncratic who criticized Sarah's fake accent, Aimee said, "At slightest get the accent close seriously. I respect accuracy adjacent if it's mean."

Aimee's selfie with substance   overlay saying she recovered  the SNL happening  mean   and unfunny, followed by a enactment      astir  perchance  deleting later

A fewer hours later, she added an update to her Instagram story, saying, "I've had apologies from SNL."

Aimee with distorted facial features owed  to a filter; substance   overlay says, "I've had apologies from SNL"

2. THE CONTEXT: Earlier successful her career, Jennifer Lawrence was praised for being "relatable" and seemingly "normal" compared to different celebrities. However, this "cool girl" persona aboriginal became thing she was mocked for.

THE SKETCH: SNL big Ariana Grande impersonated Jennifer Lawrence successful "Celebrity Family Feud," playing up her relatability.

Ariana says, "They told maine  not to bash  a crippled  show, but I was like, 'Screw it, I tin  person  fun. I'm a regular   person'"

THE CRITICISM: Jennifer told Vogue that the content was "spot-fucking-on," but she didn't rather similar the "regular person" joke. She said, "That's what different radical person said. If I'd said, 'I'm a regular person,' I’'d privation to termination myself."

3. THE CONTEXT: Pete Davidson was an SNL formed subordinate from 2014-2022. During his tenure, his relationships with celebrated women — astir notably Ariana Grande and Kim Kardashian — often enactment him successful the popular civilization zeitgeist.

THE SKETCH: The amusement (and Pete himself) often joked astir his dating life. For example, successful 2022's "Biden Spider-Man Cold Open," Pete played a mentation of President Biden from the "real" world, wherever astir radical were amended off.

Pete tells Biden that everyone connected  world  is amended  disconnected  successful  the "real" satellite   but for Pete Davidson, adding, "Your satellite   is possibly  much  amusive  for him"

Similarly, successful the 2018 sketch "A New Kyle," Kyle Mooney got a makeover modeled aft Pete's look astatine the clip (bleached hairsbreadth and tons of tattoos). The sketch besides referenced Pete's narration with Ariana and the pig they adopted together.

Kyle is blessed  to yet   beryllium  taken earnestly  and says helium  conscionable  needs a blistery  personage  girlfriend. Then, helium  introduces the writers to his woman  Wendy Williams and the babe  pig they've adopted

THE CRITICISM: In a 2020 interview with Charlamagne tha God, Pete said, "I personally deliberation I should beryllium done with that amusement due to the fact that they marque amusive of maine connected it. But I'm, like, cold-open governmental punchlines. I'm 'Weekend Update' jokes. When I'm not there, they'll beryllium like, 'Pete's a fucking jerkface.' It’s like, whose broadside are you on? I person a weird feeling successful that building, wherever I don't cognize whose squad they're playing for — if I'm the gag oregon I'm successful connected the joke. I truly wanted past twelvemonth to beryllium my past year, but I'm inactive around. If I'm conscionable fodder now, though; possibly I conscionable shouldn't beryllium there. They deliberation I'm fucking dumb — like, I'm virtually painted retired to beryllium this big, dumb idiot. I conscionable consciousness similar I've done arsenic overmuch arsenic I tin implicit there."

Then, successful 2023, Pete told the podcast REAL ONES with Jon Bernthal, "In 12 years, I've dated 10 people. I don't deliberation that's that crazy, but to immoderate people, that's precise interesting. That became each anyone would speech about. Suddenly, you're successful this zeitgeist and that has thing to bash with the work. And that's a truly shitty feeling. I became much known earlier the enactment was there, but I was ever working. I'm chill with the joke. I get the late-night jokes. When your ain amusement [pokes amusive astatine you]...I'd beryllium sitting successful the backmost watching the acold unfastened and — the acold unfastened [is] topical, governmental humor, whatever's successful the culture. And then, making amusive of you. Then you've gotta locomotion retired and bash a sketch adjacent and deed your people and the amusement conscionable made amusive of you."

He continued, "So, wherefore are they gonna laughter astatine you? Like, they conscionable dogged you successful beforehand of everyone. And you're like, 'I'm a fucking loser, man.'" These are the radical I've been with for astir a decade. I grew up successful beforehand of these people. They've watched maine done the astir hard clip successful my life, and they've been determination for me. And cipher ever showed much leeway and grace to maine than Lorne Michaels, and I beryllium my beingness to that guy. But it was fucking confusing 'cause the quality of amusement is the quality of this business. At the extremity of the day, that's what it is. This was a truly hard happening to do. You consciousness small. You consciousness ace insecure."

4. THE SKETCH: In "Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals," Andy Samberg impersonated Mark Wahlberg with a fake Boston accent, an out-of-breathness, and an astir aggravated tone, ending each speech with, "Say hullo to your parent for me."

Andy talks to a dog, asking what it's similar  to beryllium  a dog. He says it was greet to conscionable   and tells the canine  to accidental    hullo   to its mother

THE CRITICISM: Mark told the New York Post, " Someone showed it to maine connected YouTube. It wasn't similar Tina Fey doing Sarah Palin, that's for sure. And Saturday Night Live hasn't been comic for a agelong time. They've asked maine to bash the amusement a ton of times. I utilized to ticker it erstwhile Eddie Murphy was determination and Joe Piscopo and Bill Murray. I don't adjacent cognize who's connected the amusement now."

He besides told Jimmy Kimmel Live, "When I spot that kid, I'm going to ace that large fucking chemoreceptor of his. Then I'm going to archer him, 'Say hullo to your parent for me'....I'm going to spell down to 30 Rock, and I'm going to slap him successful the nose.. I guaran-fucking-tee you."

However, Mark aboriginal made a cameo successful the sketch "Backstage: Mark Wahlberg Confronts Andy Samberg."

Mark confronts Andy implicit    the imitation and says helium  decided not to interruption  his big, beauteous  nose, portion    Andy replies nervously

5. THE SKETCH: When Ariana Grande hosted SNL successful 2016, she played a Tidal intern who impersonated respective celebrated singers to prevention the streaming work during a glitch. She started by singing a rendition of "...Baby One More Time" successful her "best Britney Spears voice."

Ariana is encouraged to sing similar  Britney Spears arsenic  the aboriginal   of a euphony  level    depends connected  it. She shyly begins to sing into a microphone

THE CRITICISM: In a vigor interrogation for KISS FM UK, Britney said, "That's funny. That's truly funny, wow. I've heard better." However, she besides added praise for Ariana's existent singing voice, saying, "She's precise good...I emotion her voice. It's precise smooth."

6. THE SKETCH: In a bid of 2009 Today parodies, Kristen Wiig donned a blonde wig to play big Kathie Lee Gifford. She portrayed her arsenic ditzy and cringey.

Kristen says, "Look astatine  the monitor! We look   similar  California raisins, but minus the Ray-Bans and saxophones!"

THE CRITICISM: On Today, Kathie Lee said, "Everyone seems to bask it, but I don't deliberation it's that funny."

7. THE SKETCH: During her tenure connected SNL, Maya Rudolph played Donatella Versace arsenic a recurring character.

Maya surrounded by 4  radical   successful  skis  cogwheel  humorously expresses her emotion  for skiing much  than drinking and smoking

The CRITICISM: Donatella told the LA Times that she recovered the content "hilarious." However, she said, "I talked to her connected the telephone once, and I gave her a proposition connected however to bash maine better." Her 2 constructive criticisms were, "I don't drink" and "Take disconnected the jewelry due to the fact that it looks excessively fake — I lone deterioration real."

8. THE CONTEXT: In 2024, Katt Williams did an highly viral interrogation with Club Shay Shay. He made a batch of outlandish claims and took shots astatine galore of his peers.

THE CRITICISM: Speaking astatine the Vulture Festival respective months later, Katt criticized the impression, but his disapproval included misogynistic comments. He said, "There has ne'er been a idiosyncratic that has been parodied 9 times connected Saturday Night Live and yet ne'er been invited different than me. So, I, astatine this point, instrumentality it arsenic a badge of grant that they don't fuck with me...A batch of time, erstwhile radical are doing an content of you, they're truly showing however they consciousness astir you, you cognize what I mean? For Saturday Night Live to person an content of maine and person a pistillate bash that, it means that they deliberation I'm a bitch, and I recognize that that's what they're saying erstwhile they bash that."

9. THE CONTEXT: Big Cat Rescue proprietor Carole Baskin criticized Netflix's deed docuseries Tiger King, which she said was primitively pitched to her arsenic an exposé connected the exploitation and maltreatment of large cats successful zoos. On her sanctuary's website, she wrote, "There are not words for however disappointing it is to spot that the docuseries not lone does not bash immoderate of that, but has had the sole extremity of being arsenic salacious and sensational arsenic imaginable to gully viewers. It has a conception devoted to suggesting, with lies and innuendos from radical who are not credible, that I had a relation successful the disappearance of my hubby Don 21 years ago. The bid presents this without immoderate respect for the information or, successful astir cases, adjacent giving maine an accidental earlier work to rebut the absurd claims. They did not attraction astir truth. The unsavory lies are amended for getting viewers."

Netflix

THE CRITICISM: On The Pet Show podcast, Carole said, "I could conscionable slap that woman! This whole, 'My kitty, meow, meow, kitty, meow,' and past she would conscionable accidental these truly weird words each successful a row. That each became popular, I guess, successful fashionable civilization and radical wanted maine to speech similar that connected the Cameos. And I'm like, 'I person nary thought however to speech similar that. That is not however I speak.'"

Addressing the announcement that then-SNL formed subordinate Kate McKinnon was going to play her successful Joe vs. Carole, Carole added, "[Kate] has not reached retired to me, and I truly anticipation that she does earlier she gets excessively acold down the enactment with it. I'd emotion to cognize what her instrumentality is connected it and what she's reasoning to bash and spot if determination was immoderate mode we could counsel her."

10. THE SKETCH: A 2014 Fox and Friends parody mocked the mode the amusement discussed clime alteration and Obamacare. Cosmos big Neil deGrasse Tyson, played by Kenan Thompson, appeared arsenic a impermanent and tried to person the hosts that clime alteration is real.

Kenan says, "It is an indisputable information  that the world  is getting warmer"

NBC / Via Peacock

That peculiar sketch is lone disposable to watercourse (Season 39, Episode 17, "Anna Kendrick: April 5, 2014"), but here's a "Weekend Update" clip wherever Kenan played Neil deGrasse Tyson again:

View this video connected YouTube

NBC / Via youtube.com

THE CRITICISM: Neil told Business Insider, "I thought they could person done a small better." He besides said that he'd archer enforcement shaper Lorne Michaels, "I'm honored and flattered that you would deliberation of representing me, peculiarly successful that discourse connected Fox News. But I deliberation your comedians and actors person much accurately portrayed different radical than [Kenan] portrayed me. So there's immoderate country for improvement." However, helium besides added, "If the beingness prompts radical — artists — to person fun, past much powerfulness to it. It is simply a motion that subject has go mainstream and that tin lone beryllium a bully thing."

11. THE CONTEXT: The 2023 Academy Awards were a large nighttime for Irish actors, mostly owed to the captious occurrence of The Banshees of Inisherin. A 4th of the acting nominees were Irish.

Dave Benett / Dave Benett/Getty Images

THE SKETCH: The nighttime earlier the Oscars aired, SNL's "Oscars Red Carpet Cold Open" sketch cycled done impressions of respective nominees. Playing The Banshees of Inisherin costars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, Mikey Day and Molly Kearny spoke successful incomprehensible fake Irish accents.

Mikey and Molly, wearing suits, talk  nonsense successful  fake Irish accents, and the reddish  carpet reporter, played by Marcello Hernandez, jokes that the haven't adjacent    started drinking yet

THE CRITICISM: The sketch was criticized for its stereotypical portrayal of Irish people, and the gag astir drinking was called insensitive due to the fact that Colin Farrell has openly spoken astir his sobriety. During the Oscars broadcast, the histrion called retired the sketch erstwhile big Jimmy Kimmel made a akin gag astir Irish accents.

Jimmy asks Colin astir  the movie. Colin suggests checking retired  his caller    'SNL' quality  connected  YouTube.

Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

12. THE SKETCH: During SNL's inaugural 1976 season, Gilda Radner did an exaggerated content of Barbara Walters called "Barbara Wawa." She spoke successful an Elmer Fudd–like voice.

Gilda with voluminous, styled hairsbreadth  laughs. She says, "Good evening, and invited  to Not For Wadies Onwy. I'm Barbara Wawa, and tonight, we'll beryllium  talking to an existent  wiving wegend"

THE CRITICISM: Decades later, Barbara told The Television Academy Foundation, "I hated the Gilda Radner 'Bawa Wawa' until I walked into my daughter's country 1 nighttime [and] she was up watching it. It was a Saturday night. I said, 'What are you doing up?' and she said 'I'm watching Bawa Wawa, Mom.' And I said, 'Well, I mean, how, well, you know, look what she's doing.' And my girl said, 'Oh, Mommy, lighten up.' And past I did."

13. THE SKETCH: In a 2021 "Weekend Update" bit, Bowen Yang and Kyle Mooney portrayed Pretend It's a City costars Fran Lebowitz and Martin Scorsese.

Bowen says, "The radical   who went to these talks, they were children. They'd inquire  me, 'Should I beryllium  a writer? Should I beryllium  a filmmaker?' I say, no! Be thing  useful! Be a portion   of melon wrapped successful  prosciutto!"

THE CRITICISM: Fran didn't spot the sketch due to the fact that she "never watch[es] TV deliberately." However, erstwhile the LA Times brought it up, she said, "I was location reading. People started calling maine due to the fact that they saw it. I would not person watched it adjacent if I knew. I said, 'If you've ne'er had a caricature drawn of you, you mightiness deliberation this is simply a large happening [to beryllium parodied] — but nary 1 likes them.'"

Netflix

In response, Bowen told Late Night with Seth Meyers, "I deliberation that's confirmation that she's seen it and that she doesn't attraction for it, and I deliberation that's the highest compliment you could perchance get from idiosyncratic similar Fran."

14. THE SKETCH: When Jennifer Lopez hosted SNL successful 2019, Melissa Villaseñor pitched an thought for a sketch wherever she did her J.Lo impression. She told AV Club, "I was telling her, 'Oh, possibly I tin imitate you successful a sketch. You know, I could locomotion astir your location and unreal I'm similar J.Lo and beryllium like, 'My favourite color's blue.'"

Melissa successful  fur overgarment  and ample  hoop earrings sits astatine  a desk, looking perplexed

THE CRITICISM: Jennifer declined the idea. Melissa told AV Club, "My J. Lo content is precise specific. It is benignant of the J. Lo that’s precise serious. When I met J. Lo, I deliberation I did my content for her, and she was like, 'I don’t spot it.' I emotion J. Lo. I mean, genuinely a legend...[After proceeding the pitch] J. Lo grabbed me. She was like, 'Baby, my favourite colour is green. Everyone knows that.'"

Jennifer and Melissa basal   down  a jewelry counter. One wears a leopard-print dress, the different   a overgarment   implicit    a patterned top, speaking expressively

15. THE CONTEXT: Former SNL formed subordinate Pete Davidson and Machine Gun Kelly are bully friends.

THE SKETCH: In the 2021 sketch "The People's Kourt," Pete Davidson and Chloe Fineman played MGK and his then-partner, Megan Fox. In character, Pete mumbled erstwhile helium spoke.

Pete and Chloe posing with arms astir   each   other. He says, "Uhh, I privation   I could vape you"

THE CRITICISM: Sharing a clip connected his Instagram story, MGK said, "Pete, you cognize damn good I don't speech similar that." On Twitter, helium besides said, "I deliberation it’s clip for maine to travel connected the amusement arsenic Pete."

16. THE SKETCH: In 2015, the "Democratic Debate Cold Open" sketch had respective of SNL's astir iconic governmental impersonations, specified arsenic Kate McKinnon arsenic erstwhile archetypal woman Hillary Clinton and Larry David arsenic Senator Bernie Sanders. Jon Rudnitsky played sheet moderator Anderson Cooper.

Jon successful  a suit   and glasses, resembling a TV amusement   setup, says, "I'm your moderator, Anderson Cooper, and I anticipation  I bash  you arrogant  tonight, Kathy Griffin"

THE CRITICISM: On Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Anderson said, "I didn't deliberation it was precise good. Seth Meyers did a spoof of maine years agone that was truly funny, and I'm each for being spoofed. It was similar the lone happening [Jon] knew astir maine was that I was gay, truthful that's benignant of what helium went with." He besides said that he'd been invited to cameo successful the sketch himself, but helium turned it down owed to scheduling conflicts.

17. THE CONTEXT: David A. Paterson was politician of New York from 2008–2010. He is legally blind, and, according to the New York Times, helium was "well-known for making airy of his imaginativeness problems" portion successful office.

Chris Hondros / Getty Images

THE SKETCH: In a 2008 "Weekend Update" bit, Fred Armisen portrayed Gov. Paterson by squinting 1 oculus and speaking with a lisp.

At the Weekend Updates desk, Seth Meyers shakes hands with Fred Armisen, who squints 1  oculus  dramatically

THE CRITICISM: Per the New York Times, a connection from the governor's bureau said, "The politician engages successful wit each the time, and helium tin surely instrumentality a joke. However, this peculiar Saturday Night Live skit unluckily chose to ridicule radical with carnal disabilities and connote that disabled radical are incapable of having jobs with superior responsibilities. The politician is definite that Saturday Night Live, with each of its talent, tin find a mode to beryllium comic without being offensive."

Daniel Barry / Getty Images

Fred continued to impersonate Gov. Paterson aggregate times implicit the adjacent 2 years. However, connected a 2010 episode, the politician himself made a cameo alongside the actor.

Paterson points retired  that Fred is inactive  sporting a beard and jokes, "I shaved that disconnected  a twelvemonth  ago. Are you blind?" Fred replies, "Touché"

18. And finally, THE SKETCH: Similarly, successful a 2018 "Weekend Update" bit, Pete Davidson mocked Dan Crenshaw, a congressman-elect who wears an eyepatch, arsenic 1 of the "really gross radical moving for bureau this year."

next to a representation   of Crenshaw, Pete says, "You whitethorn  beryllium  amazed  to perceive  he's a legislature  campaigner  from Texas and not a hitman successful  a porno movie. I'm atrocious   — I cognize  helium  mislaid  his oculus  successful  warfare  oregon  whatever"

THE CRITICISM: Due to backlash from viewers, Pete returned to "Weekend Update" and apologized connected air. Then helium brought retired Dan, who proceeded to roast Pete close back.

next to a side-by-side of Pete with bleached hairsbreadth  and Martin Short arsenic  Jack Frost, Crenshaw says, "He looks similar  Martin Short successful  'The Santa Clause 3.' By the way, 1  of these radical   was really  bully  connected  'SNL'"

Which celeb bash you deliberation had the astir (or least!) valid disapproval of their content connected SNL? Share your thoughts successful the comments!

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