Musical Guests

Every episode of SNL features of course a famous celebrity, most commonly and almost exclusively actors, as its host. In addition, every episode also features a musical guest. The musical guests are no wash-ups, however, as they are often just as if not more famous than the host. During the course of the episode the guest will usually perform twice, exhibiting their newest music most often to promote an album release or to get a single to number one no the record charts. There is another aspect of SNL that the musical guests perform in, and that is in its skits. Recently the musical guests have performed in a skit during the episode in which they are featured and the skits have been just as funny as those performed by the host.

The last two episodes that have featured Rihanna have also featured a skit involving Rihanna and cast member Andy Samberg. Rihanna plays herself and Samberg plays a character called "Shy Ronnie." The two are a singing duet where Ronnie only mumbles until Rihanna leaves the room and then he lets loose his singing talent. This first video Shy Ronnie is from the first episode, and this second video Shy Ronnie 2: Ronnie and Clyde is from the more recent episode. Both episodes feature Rihanna in her usual element, singing, but she also does a small bit of acting as well.

When Diddy (Puff Daddy/ Sean Combs, his name changes a lot) was on SNL this past week he performed a skit, also with Samberg, called Blizzard Man. Essentially Diddy is himself and Samberg is an underground rapping superstar, in Diddy's eyes, who needs to come in and help Diddy with his album. The video, Blizzard Man, also features Diddy in his element like Rihanna but less so. He is not singing but instead solely acting. This gain in versatility puts him more into the overall theme of SNL in that he is performing humor in addition to his music.

Katy Perry was featured a few weeks ago and she performed a skit that did not have her anywhere near the music industry. Her skit has her as a young girl who is being interviewed on a show called "Bronx Beat" by two SNL cast members. The video Bronx Beat shows how Katy can act and be funny in a way that is completely unrelated to her singing.

The transition of musical guests from solely performing their music to acting in skits where they are singing to acting in skits where they are simply comedic is a good one in my eyes. I see it as a way that SNL is incorporating more stars and more humor into their show. It shows how funny musicians can be outside of their element and strengthens the episodes overall.