Sarah Sherman Talks Making SNL's Domingo Sketch and Ariana Grande's "Bad Singing"
The awkward "Espresso" parody has gone viral since the Wicked star hosted SNL on October 12.
Even when Ariana Grande sings poorly on purpose, she can still make it a hit — just ask Sarah Sherman, who shared the stage with her in the viral "Bridesmaid Speech" sketch on Saturday Night Live.
"This Domingo sketch you did with Ariana Grande. That went beyond viral — it exploded," Fallon told Sherman (who arrived at her Tonight Show interview dressed like a full-on fruit plate courtesy of SNL's costume department. When the Wicked star hosted SNL on October 12, she played a bridesmaid alongside Sherman and her fellow Season 50 cast members Heidi Gardner and Ego Nwodim. The four sang an awkward parody of "Espresso" while detailing a questionable night of shenanigans at the bride's bachelorette party.
"Bridesmaid Speech" has received more than 9 million views on YouTube and over 15 million on TikTok, with even Marcello Hernández's portion of the "Espresso" parody getting major shares on the social media app (he played the Domingo the bridesmaids sang of). SNL's social media accounts even shared fan-made Halloween costumes inspired by the sketch.
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"Did you have any idea that it was gonna be that big?" Fallon asked Sherman.
Kinda — once they all heard Grande's special vocal contributions.
"The writers — Jimmy Fowlie, Ceara O'Sullivan, Sudi Green, Allie Levitan — they wrote the sketch, and everyone's laughing, we're loving it," explained Sherman. "And then, when Ariana Grande did bad singing at blocking rehearsal? Everyone was like, 'Ohhhh... This is funny!'"
An SNL writer shared rehearsal video of Sarah Sherman and Ariana Grande's "Domingo" song
We were lucky to see a bit of that blocking rehearsal thanks to actor and SNL writer Fowlie, who posted a clip on Instagram of Grande and the SNL cast practicing the sketch in Studio 8H. In it, Grande, Sherman, Nwodim, and Gardner practice their Domingo tribute dressed in their own clothes, practicing dancing in pairs. There are audible hoots and cheers from those out of frame as Grande busts out her best "bad" singing voice.
"She did a great job doing that. It's hard to sing off key if you're Ariana Grande. All she does is sing on key," said Fallon.
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"All she does is sing on key," added Sherman. "And then everyone was like, 'Oh, my God, you were so funny, Sarah, at bad singing.' And I was like, 'I was trying my best!'"
Watch Sarah Sherman's Tonight Show interview — in which she also talks about her General Hospital guest role and shares a few spooky stories — above.
