POP star Sabrina Carpenter is a white for sore eyes in a revealing outfit.
The Espresso singer, 26, was seen leaving TV show Saturday Night Live’s after-party in New York.
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Sabrina Carpenter is a white for sore eyes in a revealing outfitCredit: Getty
She had appeared in a sketch as a young boy interviewing “President Donald Trump” for a podcast.
Sabrina also addressed the controversy over the cover for her latest album Man’s Best Friend, which showed her on all fours being grabbed by the hair.
She said the pic was cropped and joked that the original showed SNL’s Bowen Yang lifting her up by the hair after she had been pushed over by actor Martin Short.
Fans have rushed to her defence and accused SNL of “trying to sabotage” her following a tech issue during one of her skits.
The singer returned to the late-night live sketch comedy show to host and perform on Saturday night but her mic briefly went off mid-skit.
This meant viewers were unable to decipher what the Espresso singer was saying.
She continued to say her lines with the other SNL stars before the mic was switched back on after a few songs.
However, her loyal fans were left unhappy and flocked to social media to share their frustration.
One person wrote: “Brief mic problem. Can’t recall ever seeing that before.”
Another fan of the Grammy award-winner fumed: “Who cut off Sabrina’s mic in the middle of the skit? They tryna sabotage my girl.”
Sabrina appeared in a sketch as a young boy interviewing ‘President Donald Trump’ for a podcastCredit: TNI PressSabrina also addressed the controversy over the cover for her latest album Man’s Best FriendCredit: BackGrid
President Trump has said many things about “Saturday Night Live” over the years. Few of them are favorable, highlighting his disdain for the late-night sketch comedy show, though his previous stints as host would suggest otherwise.
The president hosted the show in 2004 and in 2015, shortly after announcing his first run for president. The decision to have him host “SNL” in 2015 was controversial at the time, but NBC’s top brass defended the move, citing his front-runner status among Republicans and the high ratings it produced. “At the end of the day, he was on the show for 11 minutes and … it wasn’t like the Earth fell off its axis,” said then-NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt during the Television Critics Assn. press tour in 2016. He would later call Trump “toxic” and “demented.”
Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly said he believes the show is unfunny, lacks talent and is “just a political ad for the Dems” nowadays. The sentiment echoes comments he’s made about late-night talk show hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel and their respective shows, each known for skewering Trump. With Season 51 of “Saturday Night Live” set to begin Saturday, and recent settlements with media outlets and tech companies making headlines — YouTube settled a Trump lawsuit for nearly $25 million Monday over the suspension of his account — a renewed focus will be on the show and how it spoofs the president and his policies.
Colbert’s series was canceled by CBS in July and will conclude its 10-year run next year in May. While CBS cited financial reasons for its decision to end Colbert’s show, the host was a vocal critic of both Trump and CBS’ parent company, Paramount, which had recently settled a lawsuit with Trump just before the Federal Communications Commission approved its merger with Skydance Media (Colbert called the settlement “a big fat bribe”).
Kimmel was benched by ABC in September after the head of the FCC, a Trump appointee, threatened the network over the host’s comments about Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer. Kimmel has since returned to the air, and used his first episode back to defend free speech. Colbert and Kimmel also appeared as guests on each other’s shows Tuesday, expressing mutual support and cracking jokes at Trump’s expense. Trump has also called for NBC to ax its late-night hosts Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon, both of whom are “SNL” alums.
Now, “SNL” could be the next target of the administration’s scrutiny. Trump’s posts on social media have previously aired his disapproval for how the series mocks and satirizes him and his administration, and he has suggested investigating NBC as result.
“Nothing funny about tired Saturday Night Live on Fake News NBC!,” Trump tweeted in February 2019, during his first term in office. “Question is, how do the Networks get away with these total Republican hit jobs without retribution? Likewise for many other shows? Very unfair and should be looked into. This is the real Collusion!”
Donald Trump in 2015, the year NBC cut ties after he made comments about undocumented Mexican immigrants.
(Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)
Over the years, Trump has had a contentious relationship with the network that once aired “The Apprentice,” the show that made him a reality TV star, and his Miss Universe pageant. In 2015, NBC cut ties with Trump over comments he made about undocumented Mexican immigrants.
“Saturday Night Live,” which celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this year with multiple specials, has been churning out political parodies for decades, and its comedy has targeted leaders from all political backgrounds.
The first time Trump was portrayed on “SNL” was in 1988 by then-cast member Phil Hartman. Since then, a host of actors and cast members have cycled through with their Trump impressions, with one of the most memorable being Alec Baldwin, who took over from Darrell Hammond in 2016 ahead of the presidential election.
Trump disliked Baldwin’s portrayal, and wrote in 2018 that Baldwin’s “dying mediocre career was saved by his terrible impersonation.” Baldwin won an Emmy for supporting actor in 2017 for playing the president.
The “30 Rock” actor’s stint as Trump on “SNL” lasted through 2020, and he made appearances as Trump even when the show was filming remotely during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of his most memorable moments impersonating the president were in cold opens that mocked the debates between Trump and Hillary Clinton.
Alec Baldwin in 2017 as President-elect Donald J. Trump during a “Saturday Night Live” cold open sketch.
(Will Heath / NBC)
In March 2019, Trump wrote that “SNL” continues “knocking the same person (me), over & over, without so much of a mention of ‘the other side.’” The episode that aired the weekend he wrote that tweet was a rerun. “Like an advertisement without consequences,” he went on.
According to reports from the Daily Beast, Trump took a step beyond airing his grievances over Twitter that time. He reportedly asked advisors and lawyers in early 2019 about what the FCC, the court system, and even the Department of Justice could do to look into “SNL” and other late-night comedy figures who had mocked him. That inquiry did not amount to any actions, according to the outlet.
In 2022, Trump said the show’s ratings were “HUUUGE!” when he hosted, but that they’ve since tapered off. The most recent season of “SNL” was the most-watched in three years, with a season average of more than 8 million viewers.
He went on to write that creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels is “angry and exhausted, the show even more so. It was once good, never great, but now, like the Late Night Losers who have lost their audience but have no idea why, it is over for SNL — A great thing for America!”
Michaels, who rarely gives interviews, reflected on the cancellation of Colbert’s show and what it means for late-night television in an August conversation with Puck News. Michaels said he was “stunned” by CBS’ cancellation of “The Late Show,” but added, “I don’t think any of us are going to ever know” if the decision was political.
“Whatever crimes Trump is committing, he’s doing it in broad daylight,” Michaels went on to say. “There is absolutely nothing that the people who vote for him — or me — don’t know.” He also called Trump a “really powerful media figure” who “knows how to hold an audience.”
“His politics are obviously not my politics, but denouncing [him] doesn’t work,” he added.
While many cold opens and “Weekend Update” segments have been dedicated to skewering the president, often making him the butt of jokes, the cold open in the episode immediately following the 2024 election had a different approach. Trump’s opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, had appeared on an episode just days before the election, but after Trump’s victory, the cast promised they had “been with [him] all along,” adding that they all voted for him and supported him.
“If you’re keeping some sort of list of your enemies, then we should not be on that list,” they said before debuting their new Trump impression, “Hot jacked Trump,” which featured impressionist James Austin Johnson in a muscle tee and a headband.
Johnson began portraying the president on the series in 2021, and Michaels said he will continue in the role for Season 51. His portrayal mirror’s Trump’s speech patterns and his tendency to veer into tangents about pop culture. Since Trump’s inauguration in January, the cold opens have zeroed in on Trump, focusing on his relationship with Elon Musk and his policies.
The “Weekend Update” segment, hosted by Colin Jost and Michael Che, tends to take sharper jabs the president’s policies and comments, as well as other administration officials.
In the Puck interview, Michaels implied the show wasn’t going to back down, and when he was asked whether political comedy will be tougher in the current climate, Michaels said no.
“I don’t think anybody knows what Michael Che’s politics are,” he said, “but they do think he’s funny.”
Brendan Carr, the chairman of the FCC who has been in the headlines for his role in Kimmel’s benching, wrote in 2020 that political satire is one of the “oldest and most important forms of free speech.”
“From Internet memes to late-night comedians, from cartoons to the plays and poems as old as organized government itself — Political Satire circumvents traditional gatekeepers & helps hold those in power accountable,” he continued. “Not surprising that it’s long been targeted for censorship.”
Television’s biggest night is here and with it comes some of the best red carpet fashion of awards season.
This year’s Emmy-nominated stars include the always stylish Kristen Bell (“Nobody Wants This”), Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”), Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”), Keri Russell (“The Diplomat”), Carrie Coon (“The White Lotus”), Cate Blanchett (“Disclaimer”) and Michelle Williams (“Dying for Sex”). Meanwhile, Adam Brody (“Nobody Wants This”), Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear”), Colman Domingo (“The Four Seasons”), Bowen Yang (“Saturday Night Live”), Sterling K. Brown (“Paradise”), Pedro Pascal (“The Last of Us”) and Javier Bardem (“Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”) are among the men who are sure to impress. Here’s hoping that host Nate Bargatze dresses as George Washington at one point in the night to revive his hit “Saturday Night Live” sketch “Washington’s Dream.” Hollywood (and red carpet) veterans Kathy Bates, Jean Smart, Catherine O’Hara, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Harrison Ford, Martin Short and Gary Oldman may school them all on sartorial taste.
The 77th Emmy Awards will be broadcast from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live at 5 p.m. Pacific on CBS. Apple TV+’s “Severance” leads all nominees this year with 27, followed by HBO’s “The Penguin” with 24.
Here are the best looks from the 2025 Emmys, updating live:
Taylor Dearden
Taylor Dearden steps out of “The Pitt” and on the red carpet.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Jackie Tohn
Jackie Tohn wows at the Emmys.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor
Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor are back in black at the Emmys.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Jeannie Mai
Jeannie Mai hits the Emmys red carpet.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Krys Marshall
“Paradise” actor Krys Marshall stuns in a strapless Sebastian Gunawan gown.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Walton Goggins and Nadia Conners
Walton Goggins and his wife Nadia Conners share a sweet moment on the red carpet.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Phaedra Parks
“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Phaedra Parks waves hello.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Zuri Hall
Zuri Hall stuns in a metallic burgundy dress.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Kit Hoover
“Access Hollywood” host Kit Hoover is effortlessly chic on the red carpet.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Haley Kalil
Social media influencer Haley Kalil is serving looks.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Derek Hough
Leave it to “Dancing With the Stars” judge Derek Hough to bust a move on the red carpet.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Justine Lupe
“Nobody Wants This” star Justine Lupe sparkles in Carolina Herrera on the Emmys carpet.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Shanina Shaik
Shanina Shaik looks chic in a black long sleeve Carolina Herrera gown.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Bresha Webb
Bresha Webb, one of the hosts of E!’s Emmys red carpet live show, arrives in style.
The “Saturday Night Live” alum’s girlfriend, British model and actor Elsie Hewitt, confirmed the news Wednesday with a cheeky Instagram post.
“Welp now everyone knows we had sex,” the model captioned a carousel of pregnancy photos, images of the pair and memes (including the viral “Love Island” “mamacita” moment).
Davidson, who famously avoids social media and does not have a public Instagram account, has not yet commented on the news.
Hewitt, 29, and Davidson, 31, first sparked dating rumors in March when they were spotted kissing in Palm Beach, Fla., and they’ve reportedly been living together in Brooklyn and Upstate New York. They made their red carpet debut in May at the Blossom Ball in New York City.
Hewitt, who previously dated Jason Sudeikis and Benny Blanco, has modeled for Guess and was a Playboy Playmate. She landed her first television role in 2018 on the series “Turnt” and has since made appearances on rapper Lil Dicky’s sitcom “Dave.”
Since Davidson left “SNL” in 2022, he has pivoted to focus more on stand-up and movies. The comedian — whose high-profile exes include Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian, Madelyn Cline, Kate Beckinsale, Margaret Qualley, Kaia Gerber and Phoebe Dynevor — has a few projects lined up this year, including a starring role in the horror movie “The Home,” out July 25.
Davidson spent eight seasons on “SNL,” where he served as the show’s “resident young person,” developed his popular recurring character “Chad” and even bought a boat (the Staten Island Ferry) with co-star Colin Jost. He returned to host in 2023 and participated in the 50th anniversary special in February.
In its landmark 50th season, “Saturday Night Live” had a lot going for it: a huge cast of performers with a diverse toolbox of styles and talents, a fine assortment of musical guests (Chappell Roan! Stevie Nicks! Timothée Chalamet?) and celebratoryevents across multiple channels for its half-century anniversary. And it had “Lorne” (the biography), of course; creator Lorne Michaels still runs the ship.
But on a week-to-week basis, it was the guest hosts who set the tone and helped make or break a particular episode. A great host, one who is game and enthusiastic and eager to play, such as Paul Mescal or Ariana Grande, could elevate an episode way beyond expectations. An otherwise talented guest host having an off week or who was underserved by the material, like Chris Rock or Mikey Madison, reminds you that nothing is certain with “SNL.” And an outright bad host (see the bottom) can make the 90-minute show seem interminable and out of touch.
Now, let us celebrate the hosts who got it right, brought their A-game, benefited from great sketch writing and support from the cast and crew. Here are the best hosts of Season 50, ranked.
1. Lady Gaga, March 8
Ready to roll: Lady Gaga and Marcello Hernández in the sketch “A Long Goodbye.”
“Twist and shout”: Andrew Dismukes, left, Maya Rudolph, Ariana Grande and Andy Samberg in “Castrati.”
(Will Heath/NBC)
It was her third time hosting, but it was somehow still a complete surprise how spectacular Grande was in her run-up to the release of “Wicked.” Perfect impressions of Celine Dion and Jennifer Coolidge and a ridiculously wrong (and very funny) sketch called “Castrati” were among the highlights of a top-to-bottom ace appearance.
3. Jack Black, April 5
“Happiness is a disease”: Jack Black and Michael Longfellow in the “Goth Kid on Vacation” sketch.
(NBC/Holland Rainwater/NBC)
Like Gaga, the star of “A Minecraft Movie” danced and sang multiple times, most notably in a brief My Chemical Romance homage, “Goth Kid on Vacation.” Sometimes good hosting is about bringing lots of energy and commitment; Black went above and beyond on both counts in a wild “Flamin’ Hot Preparation H” commercial.
4. Quinta Brunson, May 3
They found OnlySeniors: Quinta Brunson and Kenan Thompson in the “Life Insurance” sketch.
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who is feeling better about their perpetual identity crisis after watching streamer Max flip-flop its name back to HBO Max.
This week delivered some fun roasting after Warner Bros. Discovery announced the company’s streaming platform Max was undergoing yet another rebranding and reverting to one of its previous names to restore the HBO television branding to its name. The internet — including the company itself — quickly mocked the backpedaling with memes expressing relief of order being restored. What’s old is new again, right? There’s another classic media entity making headlines this week: “Saturday Night Live” will close out its 50th season. TV editor Maira Garcia reflects on the milestone season of the iconic sketch comedy show in this week’s Break Down.
Also in Screen Gab No. 181, our experts recommend a celebrity podcast worth watching on YouTube — hold the eye-roll, this one will make you feel like your hanging with friends — and a documentary that looks back on the campaign to appoint the first deaf president at Gallaudet University, which is specifically geared to deaf and hard-of-hearing students. And for viewers who like to plan ahead, our guides on the 15 TV shows and 18 films to watch this summer are linked and ready to be added to your bookmarks. Plus, Melissa Fumero stops by Guest Spot to discuss the Season 1 finale of “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” and her hopes for a second season.
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Jenna Ortega in “Wednesday” Season 2; Dominique Thorne in “Ironheart”; Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman; Michael C. Hall in “Dexter: Resurrection”; Jason Momoa in “Chief of War.”
(Illustration by Stephanie Jones / Los Angeles Times; photos Netflix; Marvel; Getty Images; Showtime; Apple TV+)
15 TV shows we’re looking forward to watching this summer: There’s a lot of great television coming this summer, including the return of favorites like “The Bear” and “Wednesday,” and new series like “Ironheart,” “Too Much” and “Alien: Earth.”
The 18 summer movies we’re most excited about: The season looks strong, loaded with the kind of big Hollywood swings, smart indie alternatives and a fair amount of delicious-looking dumb, necessary in every summer diet.
Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times
Jerry Covell in AppleTV+’s “Deaf President Now!”
(Apple TV+)
“Deaf President Now!” (Apple TV+)
This newly released documentary that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year follows a history-making protest led by students at Gallaudet University in 1988, when the school’s board of trustees voted to install a hearing president over two deaf candidates. The university, located in the nation’s capital, has the distinction of being the first school of higher learning designed for deaf students. And after decades of hearing leadership, the students had had enough. The documentary features footage of the protests and interviews with the student leaders, who passionately explain why it was important to have a president that understood what it was like to exist in a world that regularly discriminated against them. Their protest would go on to help pave the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act, a pivotal civil rights law. — Maira Garcia
Amy Poehler’s weekly video podcast series, “Good Hang With Amy Poehler,” features conversations with celebrity guests.
(Spotify)
“Good Hang With Amy Poehler” (YouTube and various audio platforms)
In this land of a thousand podcasts, where every other celebrity is a host, you choose your shows like you choose your friends. The wonderful Amy Poehler debuted hers this March (“I like to be five or six years late to any trend,” as she puts it). And its title, “Good Hang With Amy Poehler,” is nothing but accurate; it has the air not of an interview show but of a conversation between pals you’ve been privileged to join — silently, of course, because what could you add to Poehler’s talks with Paul Rudd, Martin Short, Jack Black, Kathryn Hahn, Michelle Obama, Ike Barinholtz or Rashida Jones? At the beginning of each episode, the host quizzes the guest’s friends on what questions she should ask, so, if you tune into her episode with Tina Fey — unmissable, obviously — you get a bonus of Seth Meyers, Zarna Garg, Rachel Dratch and Fred Armisen making each other laugh. “I’m not here to change your life,” said Poehler, kicking off her series. “I don’t care if you get any better. I don’t have any advice for you. I just want us to have fun.” Includes many ’90s cultural references. Watch the video version of the podcast for the visual sunshine, but it’s great either way. — Robert Lloyd
Guest spot
A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching
Melissa Fumero as Birdie in NBC’s “Grosse Point Garden Society.”
( Matt Miller / NBC)
In “Grosse Pointe Garden Society,” the soapy drama that follows four members of a gardening club in a wealthy Detroit suburb who are scrambling to cover up a shocking murder, Melissa Fumero is able to mine humor in the dark corners of the stressful situation her character is navigating. The “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” alum plays Birdie, a loud and brash socialite and romance novelist who is carrying her own secrets in the middle of this murder mystery. The dark comedy reaches its Season 1 conclusion Friday on NBC and it’s poised to bring a new set of twists and cliffhangers as the group tries to evade law enforcement and a private eye plotting blackmail. But the series faces its own uncertain future. It’s the last of NBC’s scripted programs without a renewal or cancellation; there are reports that a potential second season could land on Peacock. Fumero stopped by Guest Spot to discuss her hopes for a second season and the classic rom-com she hopes never gets Hollywood remake treatment. — Yvonne Villarreal
Ahead of the Season 1 finale, what can you tease about where things end with Birdie that makes you eager to continue her story?
The stakes are really high for Birdie when Season 1 ends. She has everything she’s ever wanted, but the really dark cloud of her choices and circumstances hangs over her. I think she’s probably terrified of losing it all, which maybe makes her make more bad choices? I hope we get renewed because I really want to know what happens next!
What have you found intriguing about exploring a character like Birdie, who has such a layered backstory, against the backdrop of friends unexpectedly committing a crime?
What intrigued me the most about Birdie was definitely the “what you see is not what you get” aspect of her character. On the surface, she’s powerful, self-assured, glamorous, wild and free-spirited; and while most of that is true, she is also really lost, vulnerable, and maybe having a bit of an identity crisis. Then she’s plopped into this garden club with three people who become friends — maybe the first real friends she’s ever had — and they all get roped into this crazy, mostly accidental murder. That’s A LOT of fun stuff to explore and play, and a dream for any actor, honestly.
What have you watched recently that you’re recommending to everyone you know?
I am VERY into “The Last of Us” [HBO Max] right now. This season is insane, and I look forward to it every week. It’s such an exciting and heart-wrenching show. Isabela Merced (who I am a fan of and love seeing a Latina play a leading role on such an epic show) and Bella Ramsey are doing such extraordinary work. It’s also very dark, but I find myself drawn to darker things these days — there’s something cathartic about it.
I think that’s why even “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” is such a fun watch.We don’t go too dark. But there are days where the world really feels like it’s on fire and I find myself wanting to watch people survive things, big or small. It’s weirdly comforting.
What’s your go-to comfort watch, the film or TV show you return to again and again?
“When Harry Met Sally” [VOD]. It’s a perfect movie. A perfect rom-com. If it’s on a streamer or playing live, I will watch. It’s on a lot of airlines, and I’d say my last five viewings were on flights. I should just buy it, but I’m afraid I’ll put it on every night and never watch anything else ever again. It’s so good. I hope they never, ever try to remake it. Don’t touch it. It’s too perfect.
Break down
Times staffers chew on the pop culture of the moment — love it, hate it or somewhere in between
Musical guest Bad Bunny, host Scarlett Johansson and Kenan Thompson during promos for “Saturday Night Live’s” season finale.
(Rosalind O’Connor / NBC)
“Saturday Night Live’s” historic Season 50 is coming to a close this weekend, with Scarlett Johansson as host, and it’s been nothing short of memorable. There were many cameos, whether political figures (Kamala Harris, Tim Kaine) or celebrities in the zeitgeist (Julia Fox, Sam Rockwell), multihyphenate hosts (Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande) and regular appearances from former cast members, including Maya Rudolph, Mike Myers, Andy Samberg and Dana Carvey. But what also made this season special was the programming that happened outside of it: “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert,” which featured a phenomenal lineup of musicians and comedy skits; a live prime-time special; and a pair of docuseries that shed light on the show’s history, “Beyond Saturday Night” and “Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music.”
The series’ effect on television and comedy over the decades cannot be overstated, having churned out dozens of film and TV stars, now mainstays and creators in their own right (Tina Fey, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock and Eddie Murphy, to name a few); memorable sketches that have become a part of pop culture lingo and a visual language through costumes that have elevated jokes into comedic art. As television critic Robert Lloyd wrote in an essay reflecting on the show’s 50th, the show survives through constant churn, whether through hosts, cast members or the comedy it produces. And even as culture and technology evolves, it remains a stalwart of television: “Counted out more than once, it has risen from the mat to fight again, new wins erasing old losses — a once and future champ.” — Maira Garcia
