Maya Rudolph's Return to Saturday Night Live Sparks Controversy

The penultimate episode of Saturday Night Live's 49th season is close to Mother's Day. Instead of the usual start, the cast introduces their mothers. The moms share jokes about their kids or famous people, but it feels awkward. It seems more fitting for school kids than professional comedians. This part of the show is not well-received, making it the worst segment of the season. The sketch about teachers and kids in a post-Covid school system is chaotic and loud. It could work better if filmed with proper sets and costumes. The musical guests, Vampire Weekend, perform two songs before the Weekend Update segment. A guest acts passive-aggressively, thinking she was supposed to host the show. Another sketch parodies Faye Dunaway's behavior on a commercial set in the '90s. Maya Rudolph, a former SNL cast member, shares that she wouldn't want to be on the show now due to heavy criticism. She mentions the importance of not letting others' opinions affect you. Rudolph recalls her past experiences on the show and praises her drama teacher for inspiring her. In a promo for an upcoming episode, the SNL cast finds Rudolph hiding in a closet, surprising them. Rudolph shares her excitement to be back on the show. She reminisces about her school days with fellow actor Jack Black and Gwyneth Paltrow, who also appeared on SNL. Paltrow expresses pride in Rudolph during her hosting gig on the show.