Dua Lipa hosts and acts, but doesn’t give good advice to Governor Kristi Noem

Saturday night live is back in business this week with singer-songwriter Dua Lipa as host and performer. The sketches didn’t generate as many laughs as Ryan Gosling’s Beavis and Butthead scene in the April 13 episode, but there were still some interesting highlights.

Jerry Seinfield and Troye Sivan made notable cameos. Lipa also revamped two characters from previously performed sketches — Devon Walker’s “Young Spicy,” as well as Andrew Dismuekes and James Austin Johnson’s office jinglers. There were also several mentions of the governor of South Dakota Kristi Noem – but no real attention was paid to May the Fourth as Star Wars Day.

Here are some of the highs and lows from the May 4th episode.

Cold open: parents of university protesters give their opinion

The show’s cold open offered a funny look — through parents’ eyes — into the ongoing protests against the war in Gaza on college campuses across the United States. While rich white parents, played by Mikey’s Day and Heidi Garder, raised concerns about their children’s involvement, Kenan Thompson’s working-class father from Columbia had a different opinion about his own daughter’s participation.

“Let me find out she’s in one of those damn tents instead of the dorm I paid for,” he joked. “She better have her ass in class. I support the protests of your children, not my children. Release this, release that. I’ll tell you what’s not free: Columbia!”

Monologue: Not even Dual Lipa can save Kristi Noem

Lipa’s monologue was short and sweet, with the singer shouting out to her parents who were sitting in the audience. To celebrate their recently released third album Radical Optimismshe gave advice to the public but couldn’t help but SNL cast members Andrew Dismukes, Bowen YangIt is Heidi Gardnerwho were made up to look like Noem, who is under scrutiny over several shocking revelations in his new book: “No, no, no… sorry. I can’t help,” she said.

Cameos: Jerry Seinfeld and Troye Sivan pop from 30 Rock

Jerry Seinfeld appeared on Weekend Update as a “man who did too much publicity” while promoting his new Netflix movie Thawed.

“I know I can’t undo all the pressure I put in, but I want to help other people,” he said before taking a break. “If you are experiencing difficulties with the press, you are not alone. I’m talking to you, Ryan Gosling.”

The host’s good friend and collaborator, Sivan, also stopped by to present Lipa’s first musical performance: “Illusion.”

Most popular sketch: ‘The Anomalous Man’

In a black and white noir sketch loosely inspired by the play O Elephant Man, Lipa plays a theater fan who wants to meet Peter (Sarah Sherman), the playwright of the fictional play The anomalous man, whose face is deformed and displays illicit sympathy for the character LIpa. Their love affair proceeds quickly, until Lipa discovers Peter having sex with other women in bed on secret cell phones.

“She is sleeping, be careful and go to the holiday inn. I’m trying to show what this snout can do”, says one of the texts. “PS, feeling horny like an idiot.” Let’s just say the rest has to be seen to be believed.

Also busy: Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s rivalry

Gardner and Day took on the growing rivalry between rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake while performing “Good Morning, Greenville.” Their cantankerous approach came to a head when the hosts brought out puppets with Drake and Lamar’s faces in an attempt to squash their feud. This was too much for the fictional show’s black meteorologist (Devon Walker): “Nah,” he said before leaving the studio.

Most repeatable moments

Perhaps the most relatable sketch of the night was a PSA about a food that is “there for us” at every stage of life: “A big, fat tray of penne alla vodka.” That basic element of American life is there, although “you might not agree with a lot of other things.” (From the creators of the “untouched cookie tray”).

Another fake PSA tackled the subject of small pins worn by celebrities on red carpets to promote causes. “This way, everyone doesn’t have to be bombarded by my opinions,” Yang said. “But if they want, they can just zoom in — much, much, much, much more.”

Meet your new gynecologist: Dr. Fat Daddy, who loves to eat barbecue, as evidenced by the cause on his white coat. Thompson’s take was so funny that cast member Punkie Johnson couldn’t help but break character.

Ripped from the Headlines: Trump in Court, JoJo Siwa Is Evil, and Kristi Noem’s New Dog Speaks Out

“Informants said that during his secret trial, Donald Trump complained that none of his supporters were in the courtroom with him,” Che said during Weekend Update. “But that is not true. And all those police officers?

Meanwhile, former child star JoJo Siwa (Chloe Fineman) came out to dissect her new personality: “I’m a bad girl now!” When pressed about the idea that she invented a new musical genre called “gay pop,” Jost joked, “That might just be pop.”

Also appearing was Kirsti Noem’s (Marcello Hernandez) other dog named Cricket the Seventh, who brought a special game that displayed a hidden message for Jost: “She. She is. Going. For. To kill. My.”

Musical performances

After performing “Illusion,” from her recently released album Radical Optimism, Lipa’s second number, “Happy for You,” was performed by Seinfeld.

What didn’t land

Although Lipa had funny moments, she mostly appeared as a supporting character, saving her from having to carry a scene: “If anything, this episode whetted the appetite for Maya Rudolph’s return as host next week,” said the LA Times. said in a review.

To paste the magazine agrees, calling the Lipa episode just “so-so.”

Who will be the next host?

• may 11: SNL alumna Maya Rudolph will host for the third time, with Vampire Weekend as the musical guest.

• May 18: Jake Gyllenhaal will return for his third attempt to host the show’s season 49 finale, with Sabrina Carpenter as musical guest.