Sketchy MVPs: Vanessa Bayer from “Saturday Night Live”
June 5, 2017 Zach Shaw Saturday Night Live, Sketchy MVPs
We all love Amy Schumer, everyone knows how brilliant Key & Peele are, and you’ve watched Will Ferrell’s classic Saturday Night Live sketches countless of times. But in this weekly column Sketchy MVPs, The Laugh Button shines a light on comedians from our favorites shows and troupes who don’t often get rightful credit for their contributions to sketch comedy.
We were finally coming to terms with Bobby Moynihan no longer being a cast member on Saturday Night Live…when we remembered another sad reality: that Vanessa Bayer had also just taken her final bow on Studio 8H’s stage.
Joining the cast in 2010, Bayer’s bubbly presence was a delightful welcome in every sketch she appeared in. You could rely on her to make any given scenario feel even more absurd, whether as the straight woman trying to make heads or tails of a ludicrous character’s actions, or as the ludicrous character herself.
So as we begin the healing process of losing Vanessa Bayer on SNL as well, let’s take a look back at a few of our favorite moments from her on the show…starting with a disclaimer:
Just like with our “Sketchy MVP” feature on Moynihan, we are not including any of Bayer’s characters from Weekend Update. It was hard to limit ourselves on what sketches to include, so we had to exclude some of our favorites like Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy, Best Friends From Growing Up, and Rachel From Friends…though we did find a way to sneak in Laura Parsons.
Porn Stars: Moët & Chandon
Maybe it’s the way Bayer and Cecily Strong portray two women who “aren’t pornstars anymore” trying to endorse products in exchange for free stuff, or maybe it’s simply the horrifying events they each recall in the middle of their pitch. Regardless, we already miss the hell out of Moët and Chandon.
The Miley Cyrus Show
Not only is Miley Cyrus hands down Bayer’s most famous impersonation, but The Miley Cyrus Show might’ve been her first big break on SNL.
Totinos
We’ll always enjoy watching Bayer’s housewife character simply trying to feed her “hungry guys” during the big game. But there’s something even more special about watching her discover her true self with the help of Kristen Stewart.
Ms. Clause & The Elves
Only Bayer and Kenan Thompson could make two depraved elves still seem adorable.
Spotlightz Acting Camp
Before she became the correspondent of Weekend Update’s “Newscasters of Tomorrow” segment, Laura Parson showed off her acting chops in a series of commercial parodies for kids acting classes. If watching Bayer perform a monologue from Forrest Gump like a Disney star doesn’t make you smile, nothing will.
J-Pop America Fun Time Now!
Watching Bayer and Taran Killam together in sketches was always a blast, but especially when they played two white Michigan State students, whose portrayal of Japanese teenagers is borderline racist, hosting a talk show.
RKO Movie Set
In a way, watching Bayer portray a proper actress from the 1940s experiencing some flatulence issues during this past season’s finale was the perfect send off for her. Watching her slightly crack a smile while cutting the cheese is an extra bonus.
