:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/role-model-amy-poehler-bowen-yang-SNL-promo-101025-993cd048e7bc49c58d326eed920c8805.jpg "Saturday Night Live recap: Amy Poehler returns to host as show celebrates its 50th birthday (upda...")
Role Model is in the house as musical guest. Saturday Night Live recap: Amy Poehler returns to host as show celebrates its 50th birthday (updating live)
Role Model is in the house as musical guest.
Saturday Night Live recap: Amy Poehler returns to host as show celebrates its 50th birthday (updating live)
Role Model is in the house as musical guest.
By Andy Hoglund
Andy Hoglund
Andy Hoglund is a writer at **. He has worked at EW since 2019.
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on October 11, 2025 11:54 p.m. ET
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Amy Poehler, Role Model, and Bowen Yang shooting 'Saturday Night Live' promos. Credit:
Rosalind O'Connor/NBC
Tonight represents a full-circle moment in television history as Amy Poehler returns to host *Saturday Night Live* on the very evening the show celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oct. 11 marks five decades to the day since Mr. Mike first taught John Belushi to feed his fingertips to the Wolverines back in 1975, kicking off a cultural institution that would come to define modern comedy (and inspire Jason Reitman's recent cinematic love letter). For Poehler, one of the show's most beloved alumni, it's a homecoming charged with emotion and legacy, a reminder of how keenly her sharp and fearless humor shaped *SNL* in the 2000s and beyond.
This year has been one rolling celebration of *SNL*'s milestone, with retrospectives, specials, and tributes including the official *SNL50* festivities. (Next week Peacock will premiere the long-rumored documentary *Downey Wrote That*, saluting the career of Jim Downey, one of the most influential writers in the history of the show.)
Poehler is not just a former cast member returning for nostalgia's sake, my fellow Coneheads: She's a reminder of the show's deep roots and ability to reinvent itself while (occasionally) still feeling unpredictable after 50 years. I am joined tonight by former cast member Siobhan Fallon Hogan, who attended the *SNL50* show! She says: "Kudos to Lorne Michaels for 50 years, he is a rock star!" That sentiment surely echoes throughout Studio 8H tonight. If there's any host who can honor that legacy with both mischief and love — especially after a season premiere that nearly two thirds of you shockingly felt was underwhelming — it's Amy Poehler. (Let's see how the show chooses to honor Diane Keaton as well! RIP!)
Earlier this week, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the Senate and failed to meaningfully answer any questions. So she has been recalled for follow-ups. This is that follow-up.
Amy Poehler plays the enraged, indignant Bondi. Immediately, I have a negative reaction to this — nothing against Poehler, just the concept of stunt casting in these political cold opens sends a shiver down my spine.
Okay, the positive: Andrew Dismukes as the folksy and cartoonish Senator Kennedy is pretty funny, and some of the new cast members get a nice opportunity here. *SNL* has a long history of Senate hearings as the backdrop for some classic cold opens — it's a fun platform to cover material such as the ongoing federal government shutdown.
And in a fun but not surprising development, Tina Fey appears, playing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. "When I played the birthing specialist in* Baby Mama*, it was clear that Tina and Amy were a great comedy team," says Fallon Hogan. "It is so great that* SNL *is bringing her back." Just great seeing them back; fun to hear references to burn books.
Amy Poehler's first love was found here: being famous. Her new podcast, *Good Hang*, is on Spotify. She also jokes that's she's peddling Poehler's Colers, a low-sugar, high-tequila soda banned in Connecticut. Just like George Carlin 50 years, she's extremely high.
Poehler watched *SNL* back in the '70s. Back then, women could not even own credit cards. Now she jokes about AI versions of her replacing her and doing full-frontal nudity. As always, Poehler is delightful, even if this is low-stakes.
She welcomes the newest cast members. I thought they'd make some hay out of this as I loved when Tina Fey did this. But nope, keep it moving. Just me, but isn't it weird seeing Ben Marshall silently in roles like this? He's known! Please Don't Destroy has/had status at 8H, Peacock gave them a movie! Distracting seeing him as a "new guy."
Remarkably, it has been almost a decade since Poehler hosted, for those keeping score… the classic episode cohosted by Fey, in fact. (Of course, Poehler appeared back in season 48 with Aubrey Plaza.)**
*This recap will be updating live throughout the episode…*
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