Kate McKinnon killed it on Saturday Night Live for years playing many characters and doing impressions of celebrities. Her impression of Ellen DeGeneres remains hilarious, and her stint playing Hillary Clinton will go down in the pantheon of SNL political impersonations. Many will also never forget her impression of Justin Bieber, which is one of her best SNL sketches and a role she reprised many times. Apparently, the Bieber character was a touchstone for McKinnon during her SNL tenure too, and it helped her get ready for the show week after week.
In a recent interview with the titular host of The Kelly Clarkson Show, McKinnon chatted about her time as a featured player on SNL, her life after she left the show in 2022, and how her schedule has changed. While the NBC program required her to work long, late nights, she is actually not a night owl, and has enjoyed going to bed early since she has moved on to different projects.
However, while she was subject to the SNL late nights, it was Justin Bieber’s music that got her hyped up. She explained:
I like to wake up really early, it turns out, and I like to go to bed really early. So working at SNL was obviously the greatest years of my life and also was contrary to my natural orientation, and so I really had trouble staying up late enough to be on the show. And so, before the show, I would put on Justin Bieber and like to dance around. Just to wake myself, just to try to stay up late enough.
Her love for Justin Bieber’s music came out through her impression, which featured a lot of teenage swagger and tattoos. It probably helped her get into character as well, giving her more knowledge of her subject. When it came to other SNL staff seeing her dance to Justin Bieber in the 30 Rock hallways, McKinnon never really knew. She said:
If they did, they were polite enough not to say. I tried to go into a little corner, but I would be there just like, dancing.
When you are starting a live show at 11:30 p.m. on a Saturday night, you probably will do anything to keep yourself awake. It’s not just the live show that makes cast members stay up late either, the staff also has long nights throughout the week as they prepare. sometimes they're even writing all night and into the next day.
That schedule is no joke, and the coffee is probably flowing 24/7. However, when the caffeine isn’t enough, “Baby” and “Never Say Never” may just be the only antidote to tiredness. Bieber has some great hits, and I totally see why McKinnon would choose his music to get her in the showtime spirit.
Bieber’s music must’ve worked, because McKinnon never seemed drowsy when she hit the SNL stage. Her energy was electric, seemingly rubbing off on her fellow cast members. You’d never even notice that she was more of a morning person and maybe would rather be in bed on a Saturday night. Her ability to rise to the occasion is why she is one of the best SNL cast members and impressionists ever.
McKinnon has since moved on to other projects, but her presence is still missed on the weekly broadcast. Hopefully, she brings back some of her iconic characters and impressions, like Bieber, as a treat for the 50th season. Fingers crossed!
You can see Saturday Night Live as it airs on the 2024 TV schedule at 11:30 p.m. ET on Saturdays. The show is bringing out all the stops when it comes to SNL hosts and musical guests for Season 50, so make sure to check it out. Fans can also revisit McKinnon’s tenure on the show by watching previous episodes with a Peacock subscription.
