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Olympic Gymnast Kerri Strug and Chris Kattan Were Twins on SNL's "Weekend Update"
The gold medal gymnast and her brother — played by Chris Kattan — popped by "Weekend Update" after the 1996 Olympics.
In 1996 in Atlanta, gymnast Kerri Strug helped Team U.S.A. bring home the gold in one of the most unforgettable moments in Olympics history. And, like so many headline-making athletes before and after her, Strug capped off her triumph by appearing on another American institution: Saturday Night Live.
In SNL's Season 22 premiere on September 28, 1996, Kerri Strug turned "Weekend Update" into a family affair when she stopped by the satirical news show with her brother, Kippy Strug, played by then-cast member Chris Kattan.
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"For many of us who watched, the greatest moment of the Summer Olympics was the winning of the gold medal by the Woman’s Gymnastic Team. Here with me now are Kerri Strug and her brother Kippy," said "Weekend Update" anchor Norm MacDonald, as he introduced Strug and Kattan in matching Team U.S.A. jackets and short blonde hairdos.
Kerri Strug appeared on SNL after 1996 Olympics
"Kerri, let me start with you. What was going through your head as you were getting ready for that second vault?" MacDonald asked, referring to Strug continuing to compete in the games after injuring her ankle.
"Well, I was really nervous," she answered. "But at the same time, I knew that I had to stay focused, and I knew that if I stayed focused, we might have a good chance of winning."
MacDonald asked Kippy — a fictional brother, as Strug's real brother's name is Kevin — what was going through his mind while watching his sister.
"Well, first, I was really excited! But, then she hurt her ankle, and I got really nervous, on top of being excited," Kattan answered in a high-pitched voice to matching his onscreen sister's. "But I was just hoping she can keep her focus, so I said a little prayer!"
"That’s so sweet," Strug said, touched.
Strug told McDonald that she was starting school and had been presented with "a lot of opportunities," but before the interview could continue, Season 22 cast member Mark McKinney—as Strug's no-nonsense coach, Béla Károlyi—crashed "Weekend Update," telling them it was time to go to their next interview.
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McKinney picked up Strug, recreating her iconic Olympics moment. When Kattan tried to come along, he realized he couldn't walk because his foot was asleep.
"Come, Kippy! Come on, you can do it," McKinney cheered him on. "Kippy, listen to me, you can do it! Shake it off, Kippy!"
Strug joined in, and told Kattan to "shake it off" — and following his sister's lead, he persevered. Like sister like fictional brother.
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