Who is Hosting Saturday Night Live Tonight: December 19, 2020

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Tonight, the Cheetah is on the prowl when “Wonder Woman” star Kristen Wiig returns to SNL to host the new Saturday Night Live holiday mid-season finale!

It’s no secret that the year-end episode of Saturday Night Live is always one of the best shows of the season. The sketches are sillier, the cast is looser and the host is someone who brings out the best in the everyone’s performances. The 2020 SNL wrap show should be no different this year. Especially since tonight’s host is someone who spent 7 seasons as a Saturday Night Live cast member.

Kristen Wiig returns to Studio 8-H this evening which was her SNL home from 2005 when she joined the cast just 5 episodes into SNL – Season 31, and stayed until May, 2012 at the end of SNL – Season 37. Tonight, Kristen Wiig is promoting her new comic book action movie, “Wonder Woman 1984” where she plays the Amazing Amazon’s arch-nemesis “The Cheetah.”

‘Woman Woman 1984” will finally be in theaters and streaming on HBO Max on Christmas Day, December 25th. The film, like others, experienced premiere delays due to the Covid-19 shutdown. Taking on the role of the Cheetah, Kristen Wiig has joined the ranks of other comedians who have gone on to play comic book movie super villains like Jamie Foxx as “Electro” (The Amazing Spider-Man 2), Danny DeVito as “The Penguin” (Batman Returns), John Leguizamo as “The Clown” (Spawn) and Jim Carrey as “The Riddler” (Batman Forever).

The comic book film genre is a new step in Kristen Wiig’s movie career. We know she can do comedy. As her SNL career on television was wrapping up, Kristen Wiig easily made the transition to comedy movies like “MacGruber” (2010), “Zoolander 2 ” (2017), and director Paul Feig’s reboot of “Ghostbusters” (2016).

However, the comedy that launched Kristen Wiig’s film career was the same one that also earned Kristen her first Oscar nomination, “Bridesmaids.” The 2011 female-led comedy “Bridesmaids” received 2 Academy Award nominations, one for Kristen Wiig’s original screenplay and one for Melissa McCarthy’s performance for Best Supporting Actress. Kristen also received rave reviews for her dramatic skills in the deeply dark comedy “The Skeleton Twins” (2014) which co-starred her former SNL cast mate Bill Hader.

Speaking of Kristen Wiig’s co-stars Bill Hader and Melissa McCarthy, another thing that the last SNL episode of the year is also known for is its cameo appearances. Anyone who’s worked with Kristen Wiig in the past or present could be stopping Saturday Night Live tonight. One reason for the amount of cameos on the year-end show is the legendary SNL Christmas Party. Everyone in show biz wanted to get on that guest list. It’s always been one of the biggest New York City celebrity parties of the year. Of course, Covid-19 may have put the kibosh on the holiday blow-out this year.

Another thing we’ll be looking for in tonight’s SNL Mid-Season Finale is any of Kristen Wiig’s characters or celebrity impressions from her time on Saturday Night Live. Tonight, the host may even make it into the SNL Cold Open using her impressions of either Nancy Pelosi, Greta Van Susteren or Elisabeth Hasselbeck. One of Kristen’s most popular impressions was a drunken impersonation of Kathie Lee Gifford which we might see this evening as well.

A year ago on the SNL Mid-Season Finale, Eddie Murphy hosted the show and brought back just about all of his beloved Saturday Night Live characters. Hopefully, the same thing will happen with Kristen Wiig’s SNL cast of characters. On Weekend Update, we may see the return of reporter Judy Grimes, the Kristen Wiig character engulfed in anxiety and who tries to joke her way out of it. “Just kidding.” We could also get a Weekend Update holiday visit from the singing duo, Garth & Kat who were never prepared to perform. Fred Armisen (who has no problem with doing an SNL cameo) was the Garth to Kristen Wiig’s Kat.

“Mindy Grayson,” the 1940’s and 50’s Hollywood starlet who is reduced to doing 1960’s television game shows is always a favorite. Along with “Sue” who gets so “freaking excited”, she just can’t keep a secret, “Gilly” the silly, smiling character who made no sense, “Dooneese” the “Lawrence Welk Show” dancer with the very tiny hands, and the “Target Lady” (pronounced “Terr-get”), we may be in for a parade of Kristen Wiig characters tonight.

Kristen Wiig fans will be so disappointed this evening if they don’t get to see her signature character, Penelope. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, Penelope’s under-her-breath voice and hair twirling will have you recognizing her immediately. She is the woman who must one-up everyone she meets. Penelope has outdone a bride at their own wedding, the New York Jets during a Thanksgiving game, and even outdid the great Liza Minnelli. She’s a definite for tonight’s new Saturday Night Live.

Christmas will be a big theme in the sketches this evening. The cast and writers usually work in a sketch or two about Christmas caroling on the year-end episode. Plus, there’s plenty in the news for the SNL Cold Open, the sketches, shorts and Weekend Update.

Besides the holidays, other items in the news that are offering up their inspiration to the SNL writers for this week include not one, but two Covid-19 vaccines getting approval in America, the Electoral College naming Joe Biden the President-Elect and Kamala Harris the Vice-President-Elect, Mayor Pete Buttigieg being nominated for Transportation Secretary which would make him the first openly gay cabinet secretary, and (soon-to-be-former) Vice-President Mike Pence announcing that members of Space Force will be called “Guardians.” Thank you Star-Lord.

Other headlines that may turn into punchlines with Colin Jost and Michael Che on Weekend Update tonight include the audio of Tom Cruise screaming at film crew members who violated Covid-19 protocols, Trump getting showerhead restrictions changed because the low flow isn’t good for his “perfect hair” (Trump isn’t Trump anymore), Atlantic City auctioning off the chance to demolish Trump’s failed casino, odd couple Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen hosting CNN’s New Year’s Eve celebration, and the new study which shows that kangaroos can communicate with humans (well, Australian humans anyway).

In the holiday spirit of giving, we have the promos below for you to watch as a warm-up for tonight’s brand new episode of Saturday Night Live starring Kristen Wiig. In the first quickie promo, it’s a montage of two of our favorite things; Christmas and Kristen Wiig’s SNL characters. From Dooneese to Garth & Kat to the Target Lady to Katherine Hepburn to Gilly, we get them all talking Christmas. As for how many we get in tonight’s show, you’ll have to watch and see.

The next set of promos features SNL host Kristen Wiig with musical guest Dua Lipa and cast member Kate McKinnon. In this set, the ladies warn you about getting put on the naughty list and Kristen has some secret information about Santa Claus that we’re sure you’ll want to hear. Also, find out if the holidays truly are the most wonderful time of the year and Kristen, Kate and Dua get you all caught up on what’s been happening since you were last here.

Kristen “The Cheetah” Wiig is back home on Saturday Night Live tonight with a brand new episode of SNL with musical guest Dua Lipa. The SNL Mid-Season Finale begins this evening at 11:30pm et and just like Santa Claus, it will be live from coast-to-coast and only on NBC!

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Ernie Tripper

Ernie Tripper