Our 10 favorite “Saturday Night Live” St. Patrick’s Day sketches
March 17, 2023 Andrew Buss Features, News, Saturday Night Live
Since the show first began back in 1975, Saturday Night Live has featured a slew of St. Patrick’s Day sketches over the years. From John Belushi’s Weekend Update rant to Chris Farley crashing a parade to Stefon to Irish drinking songs and beyond, the show has always highlighted the Luck of the Irish.
In honor of the day that celebrates all things Irish, we thought we’d take a look back at some of our favorites.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
A mayor in a St. Patrick’s Day parade discreetly badmouths his town.
Daily Affirmation: St. Patrick’s Day
Mike the cameraman is drunk on St. Patrick’s Day.
Weekend Update: Colin Quinn on St. Patrick’s Day
Colin Quinn talks about honoring St. Patrick on St. Patrick’s Day by getting drunk and punching people, but he can’t tell his story about going to the parade because he’s already drunk and belligerent.
Weekend Update: Bono on St. Patrick’s Day Alternatives to Drinking
Bono (Adam Sandler) sings a song encouraging St. Patrick’s revelers not to drink. Instead, he suggests they prank their friends, slide around in their socks, make castles out of pudding and eat veal scallopini.
Martha Stewart on St. Patrick’s Day Cold Open
Martha Stewart (Ana Gasteyer) talks about classing up the “trashy” St. Patrick’s Day with tasteful lapel pins, basil food dye and a copper kettle that makes the perfect public urine receptacle.
Weekend Update: Stefon on St. Patrick’s Day
Stefon (Bill Hader) shares the best places to visit on St. Patrick’s Day, with a little help from his lawyer, Shy (John Mulaney).
Top o’ the Morning: Patrick Fitzpatrick and Clan
Two Irish buddies, Patrick Fitzwilliam (Jimmy Fallon) and William Fitzpatrick (Seth Meyers), host a talk show from a pub. In this episode, William’s dad Patrick Fitzpatrick (Dan Aykroyd) visits with a large clan of bratty children.
Irish Drinking Songs
In this commercial parody, patrons at a pub (Kevin Nealon, Jan Hooks, Conan O’Brien, Mike Myers, Nora Dunn, Jon Lovitz) sing Irish drinking songs from a new CD collection released just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.
The Brendan Boyle Show For Leprechauns
On this talk show for leprechauns, host Brendan Boyle (Colin Quinn) welcomes guest Wee Ned Clancy (Sting), who creates limericks on the spot from audience suggestions but they all center around misogynistic topics.
NPR’s Delicious Dish: Irish Cuisine
NPR hosts Margaret Jo McCullin (Ana Gasteyer) and Lynn Bershad (Rachel Dratch) welcome colorful author Liam Shaughnessy (Ian McKellen) to discuss Irish cuisine in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.