The White Lotus was booked for Aubrey Plaza’s hosting gig on Saturday Night Live, but it offered an alternative resort experience at “The Black Lotus” with “all the decadence, all the intrigue, none of the foolishness.”
In a send-up of the upscale, HBO destination drama, Kenan Thompson and Ego Nwodim lead “a staff who has no time for this nonsense” against familiar high-strung hotel guests like Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya, portrayed by an indistinguishable Chloe Fineman, and the aspiring local singer, played by Heidi Gardner, whose scheme to replace the in-house talent is dashed by Kenny in the Kirk Franklin Lounge.
Plaza makes her entrance as a provocative bartender who delivers some harsh but rational advice to the young, swindled stand-in for Season 2 character Albie, speaking for the audience by asking, “What is wrong with you? What did you think would happen?” Later, she assaults an irate guest after she spots them poking Thompson’s chest, and Kenan responds in closing with “Welcome to Black Lotus, bitch!” Watch the clip below.
Related Video
Plaza’s visit to Saturday Night Live was certainly boosted from her role on The White Lotus this year, but the hosting spot was a long time coming for the “iconic” actress. Her performance was preceded by a Tonight Show appearance where she shared her SNL audition horror story as well as an episode promo where she revealed, “I’ve been waiting to do this show since I was 12 years old.” Elsewhere during last night’s episode, Plaza and Amy Poehler reprised their characters from Parks and Recreation.
Though SNL’s White Lotus spoof promises even more iterations at “exotic locations” like Atlanta and Washington D.C., the original award-winning series was renewed for Season 3 in November. Revisit our Season 2 review and our season-long theorizing here.
[flexi-common-toolbar] [flexi-form class=”flexi_form_style” title=”Submit to Flexi” name=”my_form” ajax=”true”][flexi-form-tag type=”post_title” class=”fl-input” title=”Title” value=”” required=”true”][flexi-form-tag type=”category” title=”Select category”][flexi-form-tag type=”tag” title=”Insert tag”][flexi-form-tag type=”article” class=”fl-textarea” title=”Description” ][flexi-form-tag type=”file” title=”Select file” required=”true”][flexi-form-tag type=”submit” name=”submit” value=”Submit Now”] [/flexi-form]
