Entertainment
Bowen Yang says goodbye to ‘SNL’ with help from Ariana Grande, Cher and Aidy Bryant
Just a little over a year after an all-time performance as “Saturday Night Live” host (one of the best of that season, truth be told), Ariana Grande returned again to show off some of her talents: mimicry and comic timing, dance moves, and, of course, a spectacular singing voice.
But she also showed a lot of grace by ceding the spotlight to her “Wicked” co-star Bowen Yang, who confirmed before this week’s episode that he is exiting “SNL” midway through his eighth season. At several turns of this week’s show, particularly in a closing sketch about a retiring Delta Sky Club employee that served as Yang’s emotional goodbye, it was clear that Grande understood the assignment: this was Yang’s night, not hers.
Which isn’t to say Grande wasn’t great. She started strong with an “All I Want For Christmas” takeoff in her monologue, played an Elf on the Shelf who’s been cut in half in a support group sketch, exchanged a costume soul patch with Marcello Hernández as one of two dramatic dance instructors, and perhaps most memorably in this outing, played Macaulay Culkin‘s character Kevin in an extremely bloody parody of “Home Alone.”
She dated The Grinch (Mikey Day) in a “Love Is Blind” reunion sketch, played a judge in a courtroom scene featuring Black Santa Claus (Kenan Thompson) before portraying Katy Perry and Celine Dion in a promo for a Peacock special that mashes up different singers like the viral David Bowie/Bing Crosby “Little Drummer Boy” video.
But in his last show as a cast member, Yang got to appear in nearly every sketch as well, from a brief appearance in the “Home Alone” sketch to playing Yoko Ono in the Peacock special skit to reprising his Trend Forecaster character on “Weekend Update” with former cast member Aidy Bryant.
If Grande wasn’t as locked in as last time (she broke character laughing a few times), it didn’t matter much because she was as funny, energetic and eerily accurate in all her impressions. It felt very much like Grande was there less to promote the new “Wicked” movie than to help a friend say goodbye.
Musical guest Cher appeared in Yang’s Delta Sky sketch as his boss and performed “DJ Play a Christmas Song” and “Run Run Rudolph,” the latter introduced by Grande as her Castrati character, Antonio. A title card before the goodbyes honored Rob Reiner, who was killed with his wife Michele Singer Reiner in their home last week.
Not surprisingly, President Trump (James Austin Johnson) had a lot to say in a holiday address to the nation while also hugging a Christmas tree (“Remember when I did this with flag? I’m hugging tree now.”) and reading his stage directions out loud, an interesting new wrinkle to Johnson’s masterful impression. Trump reminded the country that “Arctic immigrants are coming in through our chimneys and stealing our milk and cookies” and discussed the recently voted on name change to the Kennedy Center, now “The Trump-Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts No Homo,” saying it is just the beginning. His name will be on the Trump Washington Monument, the Trump Lincoln Memorial and “Big Elphaba,” his name for the Statue of Liberty. Why so many names on things? “We had to take it off so many files,” he said, a reference to the much-redacted, newly released Epstein Files. Johnson’s impression is getting slurrier and even more meta, but continues to deliver on random pop culture references, which this week included the Indigo Girls, “The Hunger Games” and the videogame “Metal Gear Solid.”
Grande’s monologue briefly touched on the idea of bringing back old sketches such as “Domingo” from her last appearance before declaring cheekily, “When something is perfect, it doesn’t need a sequel.” She talked about how hard it is to find gifts for people she doesn’t know well, like her cousin’s boyfriend, Steve, which led to a whole music number to the tune of “All I Want for Christmas,” including Yang and other cast members giving suggestions on gifts like back massage coupons or a box of raw oysters. The lyrics weren’t all easy to understand unless you had captions enabled, but Grande sang the heck out of the Mariah Carey song.
Best sketch of the night: Take a bow, Bowen
Was it the funniest sketch of the night? No, that would probably be the Elf on the Shelf support group or the “Love is Blind” reunion. But Yang’s last sketch, about an elderly Delta Sky Club worker passing out eggnog and working his last shift, was heartfelt and sweet. Even a casual fan of Yang and “SNL” would be hard pressed not to get choked up by Yang talking about his time on the show to his wife (Grande), who replied, “All the egg nog you’ve made over the years. Some of it was great. Some of it was rotten.” “And a lot of it got cut,” he replied. Bowen broke down a few times while expressing his love for the people who work on “SNL” and sang through tears a version of “Please Come Home for Christmas” with Grande. “Egg nog is kind of like me — it’s not for everyone, but the people who like it are my kind of people,” he said to riotous applause. When he said he wanted to go out on top, she responded, “Oh, everyone knows you’re a bottom.” The capper to the sketch: Cher appearing as his Delta boss to tell him, “Everyone thought you were a little too gay. But, you know what? You’re perfect for me.”
Also good: The holiday duets you didn’t know you needed
When you’ve got Grande on board, it’s hard to resist falling back on lots of celebrity impressions, especially if they involve singing. For this piece, random performers are paired up for duets to try to replicate the magic of David Bowie and Bing Crosby’s “Little Drummer Boy” to varying degrees of success. Grande and Johnson were paired up twice: as Katy Perry and Bob Dylan and then again to close the sketch as Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion. It’s impossible to overstate how good Grande is at mimicking other singing voices, but the surprise here is how well Johnson keeps with her as Bocelli. Other standouts: Hernández as Bad Bunny, a backflipping Benson Boone (it was likely a stunt person and not a cast member, we never see his face) and Veronika Slowikowska as Bjork.
‘Weekend Update’ winner: Mistletoe, you are on watch!
Kam Patterson did well as Michael Che’s 12-year-old nephew Tyson, who goes back and forth between being a sweet kid and threatening Santa Claus for not bringing him a bike for Christmas last year. And this year’s holiday joke swap was weirdly one-sided with only Michael Che writing heretofore-unseen jokes for “Update” co-host Colin Jost to read. But Bryant returning to reunite with Yang for their arch Trend Forecasters bit won the week. They targeted mistletoe, musical intros that go “1, 2, 3, 4!” and in Chinese Trends, orange chicken. The duo repeated their catchphrase, “Go to bed, b—!” to each of these outgoing trends before declaring that waving pride flags, Marge Simpson hair and Michael Che are out. Of course, a stunned Michael Che was shown with a big blue wig and little pride flags in his hands.
Movie Reviews
‘Leader’ Twitter review: Netizens call Legend Saravanan starrer a watchable commercial entertainer | Tamil Movie News – The Times of India
The action film ‘Leader,’ starring Legend Saravanan, released in theatres worldwide today (April 3). Directed by Durai Senthilkumar, the film features an ensemble cast including Andrea Jeremiah, Lal, Shaam, and Payal Rajput. The film opened in more than 300 theatres across Tamil Nadu and is already trending on social media with audience reactions. After facing heavy trolling for his debut film ‘The Legend,’ Saravanan returned with ‘Leader,’ hoping to prove himself as a commercial action hero. Fans quickly took to social media to share their reviews of the film.
Fans praise the action moments and the second half
Several viewers called ‘Leader’ a watchable commercial entertainer. According to fans, the movie takes time to pick up but becomes interesting as it progresses. Several social media users said the second half is enjoyable after the first half. Several reviewers also noted that the film becomes more entertaining in the second half. The interval block and some action sequences are considered the best parts. The train fight in the climax also caught the attention of online fans, who described the sequence as a brilliant ride that adds to the movie’s overall excitement.
Mixed reactions from viewers on performances and story
While some viewers focused on the amazing action sequences, many considered it a typical mainstream commercial film. Viewers further complained that the first half of the film took too long, and some plot points were too predictable. Nonetheless, many fans agreed that Legend Saravanan’s acting in this film is much better than in his last project. The works of Andrea Jeremiah, Shaam, and Lal have also earned applause from fans. Music director Ghibran has been praised for his background score, which many fans mention added life to several scenes.
‘Leader’ – Plot and cast
‘Leader’ is set in the Thoothukudi port city; the lead character is a car mechanic who works in a large gangster dock. It presents the lead hero’s views on polar opposites and features thrilling battles with the villain. A recent flashback details the hero’s difficult past and differences, offering insight into his main reason for being at the dock. Legend Saravanan, along with Andrea Jeremiah, Shaam, Lal, and Payal Rajput, are in the lead cast. It is an action-packed mass film for commercial movie lovers.
Rapper Pooh Shiesty kidnapped and robbed fellow rapper and mentor Gucci Mane in a music studio ambush, federal prosecutors say.
The Department of Justice announced on Thursday that Memphis rappers Pooh Shiesty and Big30 planned and executed the “coordinated armed takeover” at a Dallas music studio in January.
According to prosecutors, eight of nine suspects in the incident, including Pooh Shiesty, born Lontrell Williams. Jr., and his father, Lontrell Williams Sr., who’s known around the Memphis music scene as “Mob Boss,” were arrested Wednesday in Nashville and Memphis, Tenn., and Dallas.
Williams Jr. allegedly arranged a “business meeting” with Gucci Mane to discuss the terms of his recording contract. Things took a turn and, according to the Justice Department, Williams Jr. brandished an AK-style pistol and forced one of the victims to sign a release from the recording contract at gunpoint.
Big30, born Rodney Wright Jr., allegedly barricaded the studio door with his body to prevent Gucci Mane and the other victims from escaping.
The other men involved in the ambush also pulled out firearms and robbed the other victims of Rolex watches, jewelry, cash and other high-value items, according to a federal complaint, which also states that one victim was choked nearly to unconsciousness.
In 2020, Gucci Mane, born Radric Davis, signed newcomer Williams Jr. to his record label 1017 Records. Davis came across the “Breaking News” rapper after several of his singles started to gain traction on social media. The rapper’s 2021 breakout hit, “Back in Blood,” climbed the Billboard charts, and Williams Jr. went multiplatinum.
The same year, the rapper received a five-year prison sentence on firearms conspiracy charges out of the Southern District of Florida. In October, Williams Jr. was released early after serving three years on the condition that he would serve home detention.
The “Federal Contraband” hitmaker was still on house arrest in January when the alleged music studio takeover took place. According to the complaint, evidence used to charge the men included electronic monitoring data that placed Williams Jr. at the Dallas studio, which also violates the terms of his home detention conditions.
Other evidence included phone records, records confirming that Williams Sr. rented a car used by the men, surveillance video from the studio, fingerprints recovered from the crime scene matching those of two defendants, records placing some of the men at a nearby hotel after the robbery, and social media posts that pictured some of the charged men with what appeared to be stolen watches and jewelry, prosecutors said.
“These defendants will be transported to the Northern District of Texas to face their crimes,” said D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
Williams Jr.’s legal representation did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
If convicted, each defendant faces a sentence of up to life in prison.
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Movie Name : Biker
Release Date : April 03, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 3.25/5
Starring : Sharwanand, Dr Rajashekhar, Malvika Nair & Others.
Director : Abhilash Reddy
Producers : Vamsi Krishna Reddy, Pramodh Uppalapati
Music Director : Ghibran Vaibodha
Cinematographer : J Yuvraj
Editor : Anil Pasala
Related Links : Trailer
Sharwanand has now come up with the sports drama Biker. Directed by Abhilash Reddy, the movie stars Rajasekhar in a key role. Let’s see how the film is.
Story:
Vikas Narayan aka Vikky (Sharwanand) is a top-class motocross racer.. Since childhood, he is trained rigorously by his father Sunil Narayan (Rajasekhar). However, Vikky suddenly leaves the sport, putting his father in a tough spot.
Why did Vikky leave racing? How is he connected to Ananya (Malavika Nair)? What is her role in his life? What happened after Vikky left the sport? This forms the crux of the story.
Plus Points:
We have already seen multiple sports dramas in Tollywood, but motocross racing has never been explored before, and that becomes the USP of Biker. Even though a few moments appear familiar, the unexplored territory in Telugu cinema keeps the proceedings engaging, and credit where it’s due.
The sport sequences are superbly shot and choreographed. Some moments truly keep us on the edge of our seats. To make a film on a less popular sport in India by weaving emotional moments around it, the director does a pretty good job in helping the movie connect with the regular audience.
Sharwanand looks in his best shape, and it’s good to see him try his hand at multiple genres. He brings sincerity to his performance as a professional racer and is effective in the emotional segments as well. His scenes with Rajasekhar work well. With Biker, Rajasekhar (Angry Man) reaches a new level, playing his part with utmost dignity and elegance.
When veterans play their age and become an integral part of the story instead of trying to outshine others, it’s a pleasure to watch. From here on, Rajasekhar could become the go-to actor for character roles in Telugu cinema. The second half is comparatively more engaging with decent emotional depth. Malavika Nair is fine in her role.
Minus Points:
Biker plays it safe in key moments with familiar tropes, which prevents it from reaching the next level. The vulnerability of the protagonist should have been explored more during the actual racing portions to make it stand apart from regular sports dramas. Some elements feel too easy for the hero to achieve, which takes away from the realism.
Instead of external factors, if the hero had been troubled by his own internal thought process during the racing, the impact could have been much higher. The episodes involving the hero’s sponsorship needed better execution.
The racing scenes are no doubt solid, but the moments leading up to them could have been still better. The conflict point between the lead pair is meaningful, but it is underutilized. The first half is slow at times, and isn’t upto the mark on the whole.
Technical Aspects:
Ghibran’s background score is solid in the thrilling moments, and the sound design is excellent. Cinematographer Yuvraj does a fabulous job in picturizing the racing sequences. The editing is fine in the latter half, but needed improvement in the first half.
The production values are solid. Director Abhilash Reddy takes up a not-so-popular sport and delivers an engaging film with a fair number of good moments. Had he avoided a few clichés, the movie could have reached a whole new level.
Verdict:
On the whole, Biker is an engaging sports drama with a never-before-explored motocross racing backdrop and good performances. The racing scenes are brilliant, and the film is carried by Sharwanand and Rajasekhar with their impressive performances. The first half is slow, and there are a few convenient moments. The use of certain tropes could have been avoided for better impact. Nonetheless, if you enjoy sports dramas, Biker turns out to be a satisfactory watch.
123telugu.com Rating: 3.25/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team
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