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Watch Aubrey Plaza's Hilarious SNL Opening Monologue and Sketches
The Parks and Recreation star took the SNL crowd by storm with an endless lineup of laughs.
Saturday Night Live is back after a multi-week hiatus. And the first Host up to bat in 2023 is Aubrey Plaza!
Plaza is no stranger to the NBC game, rising to fame as the endlessly sarcastic April Ludgate in Parks and Recreation. She's since starred in hits like Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Ingrid Goes West, Emily the Criminal, and HBO's second season of The White Lotus. Plaza has worn many hats throughout her accomplished career, making her the perfect Host for a night of endless laughter at Studio 8H.
Watch Plaza's hilarious opening monologue and lineup of sketches from her episode, below.
Aubrey Plaza's opening monologue on SNL
Plaza made the most of her SNL hosting debut, delivering a hilarious monologue about the early days of her career when she worked as an intern for Saturday Night Live as an NBC Page. Plaza even gave fans a questionably informative Studio 8H tour, throwing on the iconic Page jacket as a uniform. She even ran into her old Parks and Rec co-star and SNL alumna, Amy Poehler.
"The Morning Announcements"
In a sketch reminiscent of Derry Girls, Plaza and Molly Kearney play two nuns who deliver a school's morning announcements with not-so-helpful assistance from students (Andrew Dismukes, Marcello Hernández, Sarah Sherman).
"Taboo"
While a group of neighbors attempts to play a friendly game of Taboo, a couple's strategy for winning proves to be quite disturbing...and effective!
"The Black Lotus"
In a hilarious spoof of The White Lotus, staff members of an exclusive resort (Kenan Thompson, Ego Nwodim, Punkie Johnson) are forced to deal with a rotating door of wealthy tourists. Luckily, this resort works a bit differently than the HBO verson. Chloe Fineman even pulled her Jennifer Coolidge-approved impression out for the sketch.
"Avatar"
Jake Sully (Mikey Day) and other Na'vi (Thompson, Nwodim, Sherman, Devon Walker) are faced with a conundrum when they are forced to identify the alleged "sky people" who have infiltrated their group. When two "Grand Canyon" types (Heidi Gardner and Plaza) start acting like a couple of Earthling clowns, their cover becomes quite clear.
"HIV Commercial"
Filming for a commercial about a new HIV prescription goes off the rails after one actor continually struggles with ad-libbing his lines.
"Film Noir"
Plaza channeled her inner Janet Snakehole from Parks and Rec for this sketch that parodied classic noir films. When a man (James Austin Johnson) questions a widow (Plaza) accused of murdering her husband, it becomes clear that this widow simply enjoys the company of older men. Iconic femme fatale Sharon Stone made a cameo appearance for this sultry and mysterious sketch, making for an all-out entertaining time.
"Megan 2.0"
Poking at the cult queer following that the film M3GAN has amassed, a movie trailer introduces an "even more gay" murderous doll, Megan 2.0., who is taking the crowd by storm. "Annabelle could never" as Plaza plays a hilarious clubbing doll, who is even paid a visit by Girls and M3GAN star Allison Williams.
"Miss Universe"
A group of Miss Universe Contestants competes for the crown in this hilarious sketch, which includes appearances from both Property Brothers and Tony Hawk as the panel of Judges.
Can't get enough Saturday Night Live? NBC.com has so many classic moments ready for you to watch whenever you want. Here's how:
How can I watch classic Saturday Night Live sketches?
NBC.com is a great place to start. See below:
Watch Saturday Night Live Saturdays at 11:30/10:30c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
