Lady Gaga has always had a knack for blending the theatrical with the bizarre, and her recent appearance on Saturday Night Live as both host and musical guest was no exception. Known for her eccentric artistry and bold performances, Gaga fully embraced the show’s weirdest tendencies, delivering a night filled with surreal humor, jaw-dropping stage presence, and a touch of the absurd.
Electrifying Performances from Mayhem
Gaga’s musical performances were as extravagant as fans have come to expect. She performed two tracks from her latest album, Mayhem, bringing intense visuals and dramatic flair. During “Abracadabra,” a brooding dance-pop anthem, she commanded the stage in a glittering red jumpsuit, wielding a cane like a high priestess of chaos. Surrounded by eerily emotionless dancers, her performance was both hypnotic and unnerving, solidifying her reputation for pushing artistic boundaries.
For “Killah,” Gaga switched things up with an oversized purple suit featuring exaggerated shoulders—a look reminiscent of both David Byrne and Prince. Her choreography took her through the studio halls, where she alternated between dramatic flourishes and rolling on the floor in a way only she could pull off. These performances highlighted her commitment to spectacle, proving once again that she’s not just a musician but a full-fledged performance artist.
Leaning Into the Surreal
Beyond her music, Gaga fully immersed herself in SNL’s signature offbeat comedy. The sketches she appeared in leaned heavily into the surreal, allowing her natural oddball energy to shine.
In one standout skit, “A Long Goodbye,” she played a woman tearfully parting ways with her boyfriend as she left for culinary school in Paris. What started as a classic romantic scene quickly spiraled into ridiculousness when she rode off on a scooter-like piece of luggage. Soon, a biker gang on similar rideable suitcases joined the fray, and the scene transformed into a chaotic mess of slow-moving chases, malfunctioning batteries, and honking traffic. The absurdity of it all, combined with Gaga’s earnest acting, made the sketch a hilarious highlight.
Another memorable moment came in the pre-recorded short “Pip,” where Gaga played a singer defending a tiny mouse bullied at his human high school for failing a weightlifting competition. The bizarre premise only got darker as the mouse plotted revenge, with Gaga fully committing to her role, delivering an emotional ballad in support of the rodent underdog.
Elsewhere, she portrayed a Satan-worshiping Friendly’s employee and a funeral director who insisted on throwing a Gatsby-style Roaring ’20s-themed sendoff. Each of these roles showcased her willingness to embrace the weird, something that has long defined her career.
The Unexpectedly Hilarious Musical Moment
Perhaps the night’s most unforgettable sketch was “Wonderful Tonight,” in which Gaga played Janelle, a woman on a first date with Bowen Yang’s over-the-top character, Gianfranco. When the Eric Clapton classic “Wonderful Tonight” began playing at the restaurant, the duo launched into an impromptu slow dance—at first, staying true to the lyrics, but then veering wildly into bizarre, made-up verses.
As Yang crooned about getting drunk in Times Square, Gaga responded with a straight-faced line about eating a Big Mac and shaving her body hair. The song became increasingly unhinged, incorporating references to nipple play and cultural identity, but the magic was in their unwavering commitment. Gaga’s perfectly delivered deadpan expressions, paired with her impressive vocal harmonies, made the scene feel both ridiculous and strangely beautiful.
A Perfect Match for SNL’s Quirkiness
Gaga’s appearance on SNL proved that her brand of eccentricity is a perfect match for the show’s more surreal comedic moments. Whether through her mesmerizing musical performances or her ability to sell the most bizarre of sketches, she demonstrated once again that her artistic power lies in her willingness to embrace the strange.
Saturday Night Live thrives when it dares to get weird, and with Gaga at the helm, it finally leaned all the way in.