Saturday Night Live’s 50th season finale pulled no punches when it came to revisiting one of its most controversial guest histories. In a standout sketch, Kenan Thompson stepped into the shoes of rapper Kanye West, reviving memories of past chaos tied to the superstar’s unpredictable relationship with the iconic comedy show.The sketch kicked off in an elevator where a jittery Mike Myers found himself face-to-face with Thompson’s Kanye impersonation. Scarlett Johansson, playing a bewildered tourist, added to the chaos with perfect comedic timing. The tension was unmistakable, hilarious on the surface and yet rooted in real-life awkwardness that long-time viewers hadn’t forgotten.According to People, the sketch intentionally echoed SNL’s complicated relationship with West, blending satire with nostalgia.The Katrina Telethon moment gets a comedic revivalIn one of the sketch’s sharpest callbacks, the script made direct reference to the 2005 Hurricane Katrina relief telethon, to the moment when Kanye West stunned live TV audiences by declaring, “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people.” Myers, who stood beside Kanye during that broadcast nearly two decades ago, recreated his visibly frozen expression, satirizing his shock with new comic flair.

The moment wasn’t just for laughs, but it offered a satirical spin on a pivotal moment in both TV and music history. It also highlighted how SNL uses humor to confront and reflect on cultural trauma.SNL and Kanye: A rollercoaster of musical highs and political controversyThough Kanye went on to perform on SNL multiple times after the Katrina moment, their relationship soured significantly in 2018 when he showed up wearing a red MAGA hat.

Instead of sticking to music, he launched into an off-script political rant in support of Donald Trump, causing widespread discomfort among cast and crew.Kenan Thompson later shared his thoughts on the incident, stating, “It would’ve been fine if he’d let the music speak for him.” Fellow cast member Ego Nwodim who remained on stage while others walked off later, admitted feeling isolated during the unscripted tirade.