Just before tonight’s episode of Saturday Night Livethe show’s Instagram account announced it would be the final episode featuring celebrated cast member Cecily Strong, one of the show’s last remaining veterans.
Over the course of her 11-year run, Strong would prove to be one of the sketch comedy show’s most reliable funny performers, introducing new characters such as The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With at a Party and Cathy Anne, Michael Che’s drug-addicted neighbor armed with wild opinions, as well as impersonations of everyone from Lana Del Rey to Jeanine Pirro.
After a cold open with Strong’s Kimberly Guilfoyle trying to sell her Christmas album — much to the chagrin of an NFT-hawking Trump — Strong appeared on “Weekend Update” as her Cathy Anne character, tearfully telling the audience, “It’s now just my time.But I had a lot of fun here and I feel really lucky that I got to live so many of the best moments of my life in this place, with these people that I love so much.
But that wasn’t all. In the final sketch of the evening, the cast gave Strong a second goodbye, this one even more tearful than the last.
Set in a Radio Shack, it features Kenan Thompson as the shopkeeper, Frank Lasagna, saying goodbye to Cecily.
“This is Cecily’s last day at Radio Shack after eight incredible years,” said Thompson.
“Well, I’ve been here eleven hours,” Strong replied.
“I know. And eight of them were incredible. Honestly, I don’t think Radio Shack could have survived this long without Cecily,” Thompson said, his voice cracking with emotion. a new character, or a new accent, or a new impression that would just blow you away She had a power and a joy in her performance that made you remember why you loved working at Radio Shack in the first place I know that I can’t say this as your boss, but: I love you, Cecily.”
“I love you too, Mr. Frank Lasagna,” she said back.
Then, SNL brought out host Austin Butler as “casual Elvis” to serenade Strong with a rendition of Elvis’ “Blue Christmas.”
“We’ll have a blue Christmas without you / We’ll be so blue just thinking about you,” he sang in his deep Elvis voice.
Strong himself chimed in: “And when those blue snowflakes start falling / That’s when those blue memories start calling…”
Then Thompson and the rest of the cast joined in the fun, as the snowflakes fell. It was one of the most touching parting moments the show has ever produced.
