Sabrina Carpenter appeared on Saturday Night Live last weekend, performing double duty as host and musical guest. Fans are divided on the quality of the episode, but there’s no denying that Carpenter put forth her brand: cute, sexy, and goofy- all at once. Regardless of opinions on it, the night had a variety of iconic moments that are sure to be remembered for the rest of the season.
The Return of Domingo
Carpenter’s prior SNL legacy has been marked by the character Domingo, introduced in a sketch about a bridesmaid speech performance of a parody of her song “Espresso.” Domingo has returned several times, escalating the story of his romance with the bride, Kelsey.
People loved him, but every appearance has had more critics saying that the sketch missed the mark, especially with the loss of cast members from the original sketch. This episode’s cold open, with a new cast of Kelsey’s friends singing at her husband’s birthday party, is no exception.
The Monologue
Carpenter’s monologue for the episode was a fun one- where she poked fun at her own hyper-sexual persona and, at times, arguably shallow crowd work. It set the tone for the episode. She’s here to put herself on SNL, not to fit in with what she should be, but to bring her own personality to dazzle on the national stage.
“Now, since I’m here, I want to clear up some misconceptions people have about me. Everyone thinks of me as this, like, horndog pop star, but there’s really so much more to me. I’m not just horny. I’m also turned on, and I’m sexually charged. And I love to read. My favorite book is the encyclopedia. It’s so big and it’s hard…”
Sabrina Carpenter
The F-Bombs
For her performance of her song “Nobody’s Son,” Carpenter did not hold back whatsoever. She chose not to censor the chorus, specifically the line “He sure f***ed me up,” which she sings twice. F-bombs are not allowed on live TV, and usually accrue a fine, which is why the line was censored for the West Coast broadcast. Some may call the incident unprofessional; others, iconic.
oh NBC about to be fined so bad for letting Sabrina say fuck 2 whole times on SNL 💀 pic.twitter.com/y8gLXCYSQ8
— Sarah (@HeyitsSarahW) October 19, 2025
Girlboss Grindset
One of the sketches this episode emphasized the Short in the “Short ‘n Sweet” persona. Many of the sketches she appeared in, but this one had her being physically swung around. It’s a hilarious moment of physical comedy, and a great spoof of high-energy business conferences. It could be argued that SNL is best when its absurd, and this sketch definitely fits the bill.
It’s Saturday Night!
Her second performance was an iteration of her song “Manchild,” and reportedly the most fun performance of it, according to Carpenter’s Instagram. She was on a bedroom set, wearing only an SNL themed baby tee with matching bedazzled panties. It gave girlie joyful realness, and encapsulated the fun vibe of the song.
Whether or not SNL is still funny, fans of Carpenter will love this one. It has some exceptional musical performances, as well as sketches with the perfect amount of Carpenter within them. Haters of either the show or the artist should probably sit this one out.
What's Your Reaction?
