As someone who grew up watching both Saturday Night Live (SNL) and Sábado Gigante, I feel like I’ve been transported back to my childhood with every episode this season. The recent sketch resurrecting memories of the iconic Spanish variety show was nothing short of brilliant – it was so spot-on that if Don Francisco himself hadn’t praised it, I would have sworn he was in on it!
For roughly a decade now, I’ve been a dedicated viewer of Saturday Night Live, often finding myself rolling with laughter until tears stream down my face at some of the hilarious skits – such as last season’s viral Beavis and Butthead sketch. Occasionally, I’ve endured some less-than-stellar sketches that left me scratching my head, wondering what the writers were thinking. I eagerly await this season, which marks the show’s 50th, not just for the high-profile guest appearances hinted at, but also to see the fresh, innovative skits the cast will produce in an effort to make the “best of” lists.
Despite the cast occasionally needing time to get settled in past seasons, this year they’re hitting it out of the park with their hilarious segments. To be honest, I’ve already discovered my top pick among just two episodes – a testament to the quality of their work this season!
Prior to becoming a teenager captivated by SNL, I was a young girl spending my time watching the Spanish variety show, Sábado Gigante, with my grandparents. Since I was still learning Spanish, I could only partially understand what was happening on the show. The Univision series ceased production in 2015, and it wasn’t until this past Saturday that memories of my childhood associated with it resurfaced, thanks to Marcello Hernandez’s recent reminiscence.
For those not familiar, “Sábado Gigante” was a significant Spanish variety show, airing for nearly 30 years, much like how “SNL” is for many American English speakers. I personally watched the series, and I can confirm that Hernandez and the team nailed their sketch performance. If you haven’t seen it before, give it a watch now.
The six-minute-long skit was slightly lengthy, yet justifiably so due to its abundance of funny scenes and precise details. Even host Nate Bargatze’s convincing portrayal of confusion upon entering as a contestant seemed genuine. Moreover, every aspect of the skit, such as the trumpet playing “El Chacal” and “El Leon,” were classic elements of the variety show – my personal favorite parts when I was a child.
They nailed every aspect of it, right down to Hernandez’s spot-on portrayal of longtime host Don Francisco and his signature quirky hats from the program. In fact, Francisco himself took to social media to commend Saturday Night Live, expressing gratitude for “reviving memories” not just for him but also for the Hispanic community.
The main cause of my affection for this sketch lies in its ability to evoke memories of late-night fun with my grandparents, where we’d dance and yell out numbers in an attempt to help a contestant win a car. Interestingly, it seems that I’m not the only one looking back on such memories as Spanish-speaking fans of SNL have been sharing their own nostalgic moments on social media, expressing appreciation for Hernandez and the entire team behind the sketch.
- I’ve never wept and laughed so hard at the same time. Looking back at Sábado Gigante feels like a fever dream, but the memories of watching it religiously are like a hundred hugs to my inner child. – @TheRealAGon
- SNL made none of this up, this is ACTUALLY what Sabado Gigante was like and I love this show so much. if you make fun of it you have no culture I’m afraid – @caro__taro
- If you’ve never seen Sabado Gigante you may not be laughing. If you have, you are laughing so hard you are crying, like I am. #SNL50 – @VABVOX
It goes without saying that the arrival of Hernandez and Hispanic writers behind the scenes has dramatically increased the number of sketches that appeal to Spanish-speaking SNL fans. Just two seasons ago, host Ana de Armas made history alongside cast members Hernandez and several others for creating the first ever all-Spanish sketch. It was a major success and led to Bad Bunny delivering his entire monologue in Spanish the following season, and of course the hilarious “Protective Mom” sketch featuring the 27-year-old cast member and Pedro Pascal.
It’s unfortunate that it took Saturday Night Live fifty years to acknowledge and explore the rich Hispanic culture that their numerous fans represent, but at least they seem to be catching up now. With Hernandez as a permanent cast member, I expect this inclusivity to persist. However, I’m not sure if anything they create can match the sheer delight and gut-busting laughter I felt while watching the live Sábado Gigante sketch.
If you didn’t catch this week’s show hosted by Nate Bargazte, you can now watch it with a Peacock subscription. Be sure to join us this week as host Ariana Grande and musical guest Steve Nicks perform on the famous 30 Rock stage. Also, don’t forget to check out who will be hosting and performing as musical guests for the remainder of the season on SNL.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-10-09 16:07