Not Ready for Primetime

Saturday Night Live: Tiffany Haddish Shines Brightest When Playing Herself

The comedian was best when the show didn’t get in her way.
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Courtesy of Will Heath/NBC

There’s no doubt that comedian Tiffany Haddish left an enormous impression on Hollywood this summer. Her journey from low-profile sitcom star to potential Oscar contender in a matter of months is thanks not only to her breakout performance in Girls Trip, but also to her winning, sharp demeanor in interviews and appearances. If you haven’t yet, treat yourself to her conversation with Jimmy Kimmel about taking Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith on a swamp tour. And when S.N.L. stepped back this week and let first-time host Haddish be Haddish, she delivered a delightful show.

Like many stand-up-comedians-turned-hosts before her, such as Dave Chappelle, Aziz Ansari, and (yep) Louis C.K., Haddish was given a little extra time during her opening-monologue slot in order to perform a stand-up routine. Though she rushed a bit in the beginning, possibly due to nerves, Haddish found her stride by the time she started talking about her Alexander McQueen gown—which, yes, she did also wear on the red carpet for the Girls Trip premiere.

In the best surprise bit of the night, Haddish later delivered on her opening-monologue promise that she would wear the McQueen dress again during the S.N.L. episode. Alongside new cast member Chris Redd, Haddish interrupted “Weekend Update” wearing the dress and paying homage to 1988’s Coming to America.

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Haddish’s best sketch of the night was an early one called “Tournament Fighter,” where her character (who just happens to have the same signature dance move as the comedian herself), Boo Boo Jeffries, squared off in a martial-arts battle. She didn’t win—but it really didn’t matter.

Haddish was less successful in the sketches that didn’t make use of her natural, effervescent charm. An impression-filled reel of rejected Lion King auditions, for example, landed with a bit of a thud. Unlike in similar sketches from the past, none of these impressions really worked. In fact, Alex Moffat’s Chuck Schumer from an entirely different pre-taped segment was the best impression of the night.

Haddish was even less successful in a sketch called “The Last Black Unicorn”—though her neighing was on point. But in the last sketch of the episode, a return to the recurring “Whiskers R We” commercials, Haddish once again showed how effective she is when simply being herself. Oftentimes breaking character can detract from a sketch, but Haddish wrangling escaping kittens and recoiling at one hissing hairless pet was a highlight.

Should Haddish go after an Oscar nomination or even win, her easy charm will be her most valuable asset.