In a rare departure from its typical skewering of the week's news, "Saturday Night Live" took a sweeter turn for its special Mother's Day cold open. The comedy show's regular opening was paused to give way to cast members and their moms, promptly throwing in jokes and endearing embarrassments much to the amusement of the audience. According to NBC Philadelphia, Kenan Thompson’s mother quipped about being excited to see who would play Stormy Daniels, digging at current events while bringing levity to the stage.
Delivering a mix of hilarity and heartwarming moments, the mothers of the cast members managed to draw laughs with their cheeky banter and potshots at their children's expense. For instance, Andrew Dismukes' mother shared baby photos of him, while James Austin Johnson's mother took a swipe at her son with childhood memories, NBC Philadelphia reported. Disappointed about the break from the news, Kenan Thompson's mother lamented, "That’s too bad. I was excited to see who was going to play Stormy Daniels."
The special opener was a hit among audience members for its authenticity and relatability, as it shied away from the usual polished performances. Deadline highlighted the segment where Colin Jost and his mother sported matching haircuts, humorously fretting over their lines being cut for time. His mother's retort, "Wait a minute, if I don't have a line, I don't get paid," elicited chuckles from the audience.
Beyond the comedic bits, the event echoed a sentimental note with Bowen Yang's mother stating, "We are from all over the country, from every side of the political spectrum, but we have one thing in common: We love our children with all our heart," as lifted from the segment on The Hill. However, it wasn't all tears and love—tinged came the undercurrent of humor when Yang's mom couldn't resist adding, "I have a Tom Brady joke too. Tom Brady is so handsome, he should give me a call!"
Even the group known as 'please don't destroy' found themselves sharing the spotlight, albeit it was their fathers who smoked on stage, comically mistaking the set for a place where "it's just crack," reported NBC Philadelphia. The show once again proved that it could serve up reverence and laughter in equal measure, offering a reprieve from the week's heaviness and a nod to mothers everywhere.
