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Dana Carvey's Church Lady Is Back in SNL's December 7 Cold Open with David Spade
The SNL alums and Fly on the Wall podcast co-hosts teamed up as the Church Chat host and Hunter Biden, respectively.
From returning Hosts to former cast members, Season 50 of Saturday Night Live has welcomed many familiar faces back to mark five decades of the sketch show. Along with Andy Samberg and Maya Rudolph, SNL alum Dana Carvey has logged screentime this season — and he returned as one of his best-known characters, the Church Lady, in a December 7 cold open that also featured former cast member David Spade.
"You know, it's great to be back to ring out the end of 2024 — the most satanic year in history," Carvey's Church Lady told the audience. "Instead of Mother Mary, little girls are looking up to the 'Hawk Tooey' girl. Well, you know what I say? Instead of Hawk Tooey, you need to walk-tooey a church."
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Dana Carvey's Church Lady welcomed Hunter Biden, Matt Gaetz in SNL's cold open
After slinging barbs at the Wicked movie and singer Sabrina Carpenter ("did you know who was the best carpenter? Jesus. He's working late cause he's a savior...") the Church Lady hosted controversial former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz (Sarah Sherman), who made "his" first appearance in a previous Season 50 cold open.
"Don't let the door hit you on the forehead on your way out," the Church Lady told Gaetz, before introducing her next guest: President Joe Biden's recently-pardoned son, Hunter Biden.
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David Spade portrayed Hunter Biden with a deadpan impression and jokes that included a reference to his Fly on the Wall podcast with Carvey. "Last time I checked, Jesus wasn't walking around in a robe with no underwear, hanging out with prostitutes," the Church Lady told Hunter Biden, in an attempt to jab him over his reported past exploits.
"Oh...I think he was," Carvey's Hunter Biden pointed out. Next was rising Dominican baseball player Juan Soto, played by Marcello Hernández, leading to a new spin on a Church Lady catchphrase: "Well isn't that Spanish?"
Watch the "2024 Church Chat Cold Open" above, and stream every episode of Saturday Night Live on Peacock anytime.
When were Dana Carvey and David Spade SNL cast members?
Dana Carvey was part of the Saturday Night Live cast from 1986 to 1993. He's hosted SNL four times, and has made many cameo appearances since — he previously appeared as the Church Lady most recently on a 2016 "Weekend Update."
Carvey overlapped with David Spade's time on SNL from 1990-1996. The two have co-hosted over 200 episodes of their Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade podcast, which frequently welcomes fellow SNL cast members past and present.
RELATED: All About Dana Carvey’s Historic Church Lady Character
Does the Church Lady have a name?
Yes: Enid Strict.
"Remember when your family would miss church for a couple Sundays, and then you'd show up sort of embarrassed and have to make an excuse?" Carvey told David Letterman in 1987, explaining the inspiration for his character. "The church ladies would be there—they were the people that just never left the church. They were waiting out in front; they like lived there."
