Saturday Night Live closed out 2025 with emotional farewells, celebrity impressions, and one particularly chaotic musical performance that had viewers talking for all the wrong reasons.
Ariana Grande returned to Studio 8H for her third hosting gig, joined by musical guest Cher and a star-studded lineup of sketches.
But beyond laughs and holiday cheer, the episode marked a significant transition as cast member Bowen Yang bid farewell after seven years with the show.
The night delivered memorable moments ranging from politically sharp cold opens to unexpectedly heartfelt goodbyes.
Trump’s Holiday Address Sets Tone
James Austin Johnson opened the show portraying Donald Trump in a satirical national address. His performance leaned heavily into portraying cognitive decline, warning Americans about “arctic immigrants” stealing milk and cookies through chimneys.
Johnson’s Trump rambled through fictional achievements, including renaming Washington landmarks and invading “Venezuelar” solo in “Metal Gear Solid-style.” The cold open tackled recent Epstein file releases with Trump celebrating redactions as “my second favorite R-word.”
While entertaining, critics noted SNL avoided addressing Trump’s controversial remarks about Rob and Michele Reiner—a notable omission given Reiner’s history as the show’s third-ever host in 1975.
Grande Channels Mariah and Macaulay
The Wicked for Good star wasted no time showcasing her vocal talents, performing a Christmas gift parody set to Mariah Carey’s iconic holiday anthem. Cast members including departing star Bowen Yang joined in, suggesting hilariously terrible presents from Cameo appearances to novelty socks.
Grande’s most visually striking sketch transformed her into a miniature Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister. In this dark twist on Home Alone, Kevin forgets to disable his booby traps before his family returns, resulting in comedic carnage as relatives get beheaded, impaled, and worse.
Colin Jost’s appearance as older brother Buzz generated big laughs, but Grande’s uncanny physical resemblance to young Culkin stole the show.
Musical Impressions and Misses
One sketch reimagined the legendary 1977 David Bowie and Bing Crosby duet by pairing unlikely modern celebrities. Grande portrayed Katy Perry and Celine Dion with impressive accuracy, though she surprisingly only took on two characters.
James Austin Johnson stole this segment, tackling Bob Dylan, indie singer Cameron Winter, and Andrea Bocelli—the latter showcasing his genuine vocal abilities.
Other sketches landed with mixed results. An Elf on the Shelf support group leaned on squeaky voice effects, though Grande earned laughs crying “gumdrop tears” while lamenting her inability to die. A Dance 101 class sketch with Marcello Hernández felt scattershot despite impressive choreography.
Cher’s Controversial Performance
As musical guest, Cher delivered what many viewers called a trainwreck performance. Her first song featured heavy autotune and obvious lip-syncing that became impossible to ignore.
Her second performance—a cover of “Run, Run Rudolph”—appeared more genuine, though questions remained about whether she was actually singing live. Critics noted a missed opportunity for Grande and Cher to duet, given both their musical theater backgrounds.
For an episode steeped in musical theater and queer culture, however, the camp factor felt oddly appropriate.
Weekend Update Brings Holiday Tradition
Michael Che introduced his “12-year-old nephew” Tyson (Kam Patterson), who addressed Santa directly with threats:
This year … I’m getting everything I want. Because on Christmas Day, I’m coming to your house, I’m gonna beat your ass and I’m gonna get what’s mine.
Patterson expertly toggled between innocent child and street-tough persona.
Then came the annual tradition where Che and Jost read jokes written for each other sight-unseen. This year, Che completely blindsided Jost by pretending they weren’t doing the bit. Jost stumbled through brutal material about slavery, Catholic abuse, and leaving wife Scarlett Johansson for Jenna Ortega.
Short, mean, and perfectly uncomfortable—exactly what makes this yearly segment work.
Yang’s Emotional Exit
Bowen Yang appeared at Weekend Update alongside returning cast member Aidy Bryant as their Trend Forecasters characters. They declared what’s “In” (Bombas socks, four-part harmonies) and “Out” (mistletoe, orange chicken, and pointedly, Michael Che).
Yang’s true sendoff came during a meta sketch where he played a Delta Sky Club server finishing his final shift. Singing “Please Come Home for Christmas” with Grande and Cher, he was joined by cast members offering goodbyes.
Yang broke down in tears by the sketch’s end—a genuinely emotional moment that sparked debate about whether the farewell was proportionate to his tenure. While Yang became one of SNL’s biggest stars since Kate McKinnon, appearing in Wicked and hosting a popular podcast, some questioned if the sendoff exceeded what other departing members typically receive.
His seven-year run (six onscreen) certainly warrants recognition, though comparing the treatment to Kenan Thompson-level reverence seems excessive.
Mixed Bag Rounds Out 2025
Not everything landed. Kenan Thompson’s half-formed sketch as “Black Santa Claus” defending himself in court felt like cutting room floor material. Grande’s viral eunuch character from previous appearances returned only to introduce Cher. A Love Is Blind parody featuring the Grinch—despite cultural nostalgia for Jim Carrey’s version—felt recycled after appearing the previous week.
Before curtain call, a tribute card honored Rob Reiner, tying the episode back to its opening and SNL’s rich history.
As year-end episodes go, this finale delivered big show energy with its mega-star host, major cast transition, returning alumni, and multiple musical numbers. Whether remembered for Yang’s tearful goodbye or Cher’s lip-sync controversy, the episode captured SNL at its most ambitious—messy, emotional, and unapologetically theatrical.