On the American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show Saturday Night Live (SNL), a
commercial advertisement parody is commonly shown after the host's opening monologue. Many of the parodies were produced by
James Signorelli. The industries, products, and ad formats targeted by the parodies have been wide-ranging, including
fast food,
beer,
feminine hygiene products,
toys, clothes, medications (both prescription and over-the-counter), financial institutions,
automobiles, electronics, appliances, public-service announcements,
infomercials, and movie & TV shows (including SNL itself).
Many of SNL's ad parodies have been featured in prime-time
clip shows over the years, including an April 1991 special hosted by
Kevin Nealon and
Victoria Jackson, as well as an early 1999 follow-up hosted by
Will Ferrell that features his attempts to audition for a feminine hygiene commercial. In late 2005 and in March 2009, the special was modernized, featuring commercials created since the airing of the original special.
16 and Pregnant Spinoffs — A November 2010 ad finds
MTV cashing in with spinoffs inspired by 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom (complete with an altered logo to "MTV: Maternity Television"). The parody promotes My Super Sweet 16 and Pregnant; America's Best Pregnant Dance Crew; Wild 'n Out with a Special Guest: A Baby; an all-baby-cribs edition of Cribs; and I'm Snooki and Pregnant (
Snooki would reveal her pregnancy and engagement in March 2012).[1][2]
5-hour Empathy — "For when you just don't get it," the manufacturers of
5-hour Energy invent a liquid supplement that provides, according to
Kenan Thompson's voiceover, "5 full hours of complete, intimate understanding of years of systemic oppression and ever-present racism." Although having an initial desire to do so, ad subject
Beck Bennett is hesitant to try it, pantomiming chugging it down ("The cap is still on," notes Thompson); insisting that he is not racist ("I
voted for
Biden; what more do you want?!"); and offering it to wife
Heidi Gardner, who also declines ("I don't need that, 'cause I'm a woman, so… it's the same").[4]
24-Hour Energy for Dating Actresses — Having an actress for a paramour, and dealing with their quirks, can leave a man exhausted and debilitated, per the parody. However, the ad claims that the once-daily supplement gives men the energy they need to handle their paramours' constant rehearsing, mastering of foreign accents, emotional swings over callbacks, etc." Also promoted is a female formula, "24-Hour Energy for Dating Comedians."[5]
2020 Part 2: 2024 —
Democratic-leaning voters are terrified over
Joe Biden possibly running for re-election as
U.S. President in 2024, and who would run for the party's nomination if he declined, in the horror movie trailer "from the producers of Smile and the twisted minds of Morning Joe.”[6]
Academy of Better Careers — Spokesman Wendell Craig[9] pitches a program for people to find jobs as stand-by operators.[10]
Action Cats — A parody of action-figure toys featuring plastic armor and weapons for live cats.[11]
Adobe – A car that's cheap (sticker price: $179) but also unsafe (it's made entirely of
clay) yet "combines
German engineering and
Mexican know-how!"[12]
Adopt Belushi for Christmas — On the last episode before Christmas 1976, episode host
Candice Bergen encourages families to write in and take
John Belushi into their home for the holidays (since, unlike the rest of the cast, he has no place else to go).[13]
Airbnb — Natalie (
Chloe Fineman) enjoys offering her home to guests through the lodging service… although she laments sharing it with European guest Oolie (also Fineman), whose one-night stay has been extended due to the
COVID-19 pandemic quarantine, resulting in Natalie being subjected to Oolie's discourteous manners (e.g. washing dishes with a garden hose, doing yoga topless in the front yard).[14]
Al Sharpton's Casa De
Sushi — Sharpton (as himself) opens a
Japanese restaurant in
Secaucus… even though Sharpton hates the food and only runs the restaurant because, "Well, presidential campaigns don't finance themselves, people."[17]
Almost Pizza — It may look and smell like pizza, but it's not quite pizza, as proven by its molecular instability (it gets hotter when removed from the oven, shatters like glass, then regroups and crawls on the floor).[18]
AM
Ale — An alcoholic beverage for the morning because "you can't wait 'til afternoon".[19]
Amazin' Lazer — A consumer grade
laser gun used for cleaning up yard waste or (as onscreen
superimpositions discourage) dangerous and potentially criminal acts.[20]
The Amazing Alexander – This 1986 ad promotes a
Broadway theatre performance by a popular
stage hypnotist (portrayed in performance still shots by
Jon Lovitz). Audience members interviewed in the ad give the show unanimous praise—the same praise, in fact, delivered in a hypnotic trance ("I loved it. It was much better than CATS. I'm going to see it again and again.").[21]
Amazon — Husbands and kids can buy typical
Mother's Day gifts (e.g. bed and bath items, a new washing machine) on the website… but moms use it to buy
vibrating massagers (which one daughter mistakes for a microphone) or the best-selling novel Fifty Shades of Grey (in hard-copy or, so the husband doesn't have to know she's reading it, on
Kindle).[22]
Amazon Echo Silver — Designed in partnership with
AARP, this smart speaker device for elderly users speaks very loudly, responds to anything remotely resembling "Alexa," and mutters "Uh-huh" during long, rambling stories.[23]
Amazon Go — "No lines. No Checkout. (No, seriously.)" That's the tagline for the
convenience store chain where, with just a scan of their Amazon app, customers can grab what they want and leave… though, despite the reassurance, Black customers are clearly skittish to do so (e.g.
Punkie Johnson insists on paying, episode host
Zoë Kravitz asks white boyfriend
Andrew Dismukes grab a bottle of
kombucha for her).[24]
AMC Theatres — The
movie theater chain's celebration of the moviegoing experience has been parodied in two ads:
An ad that closed out
Season 46 spoofs AMC's teaming with
Vin Diesel to promote his upcoming F9; this parody finds Diesel (
Beck Bennett) celebrating the little minutiae ("The tickets… the sticky floors… that hand-dryer in the bathroom that's louder than a choo-choo train") that makes going to "the mooo-vies" so great.[25][26]
Season 48's premiere parodied
Nicole Kidman's viral and oft-memed "We Make Movies Better" pitch for AMC.[27] This parody begins as a nearly shot-for-shot remake of Kidman's original ad… until Kidman (
Chloe Fineman) becomes a mystical, almost demonic entity as the patrons seated around her stand, cult-like, to salute the power of the theater ("Heartbreak feels good in a place like this!").[28]
American Dope Growers Union –
Laraine Newman and a chorus of marijuana growers who "support ourselves by growing marijuana in American soil" encourage people to "look for the union label" wherever they buy dope ("It says we deal for the U.S. of A."). A 1977 parody of the
ILGWU's famous
ad jingle.[30]
American Express — This 2015 parody of the credit card's celebrity-driven ad campaign features episode host
Chris Hemsworth recalling how people said he was too tall, too blonde, and too muscular to make it in show business. But, he concludes, "if a jacked Australian with a perfect face can make it, anyone can."[31]
American Girls — This
Season 48 film trailer gives the
American Girl dolls adventures that are as cheery as those the
Barbie line experience in
their own upcoming motion picture, but are still rooted in historically-accurate backstories (e.g. one doll comes from the
Victorian Era, another is a runaway slave).[32]
America's Turning Gay – A parody of uplifting ad campaigns for
7 Up ("America's Turning 7-Up") and
Dr. Pepper (
"Be a Pepper") where small-town residents celebrate their sudden realization of their
homosexuality.[34]
America's Worst Moments – Spokesman
Chris Parnell pitches a commemorative plate collection featuring America's most shocking and embarrassing moments in politics and pop culture.[35]
Amy Fisher — One month after Fisher was sentenced to prison for shooting the wife of her paramour,
Joey Buttafuoco, and just days after
ABC,
CBS, and
NBC (in a 6-day span) offered their own TV movie dramatizations on Fisher's life and crime, SNL made the saga of "the Long Island Lolita" a recurring theme in its first episode of 1993, including the following ad parodies:[36]
Amy Fisher: One Messed-Up Bitch — A gritty all-Black telling of the tale, airing on
BET and starring
Jackée Harry (
Ellen Cleghorne) in the role of Amy
Unbelievable New Breakthroughs: The Amy Fisher Story — An
infomercial spoof that sees Amy's victim,
Mary Jo Buttafuoco (returning SNL alum
Jan Hooks), offer her side of the story while receiving hair replacement treatment from
Ron Popiel (DeVito)[37]
…and More — Tina-Tina Chenuse (
Jenny Slate) promotes her stores that stock personalized novelties. The skits share 3 elements: Tina-Tina introducing herself, "Hi-lo, I'm Tina-Tina Chenuse"; the store names ending with "and More" (e.g. "Car Horns and More"); and Tina-Tina exclaiming "Oh, my God" somewhere in the sketch.[38][39]
And So This Is
Hanukkah – A promo for a celebrity-packed Hanukkah special featuring entertainers who know very little about the holiday.[40]
Angora Bouquet — A
sedative-laced facial cleanser that "washes your brain as well as your face".[41]
Angry Dog —
Dog food with "synthetic testosterone and seven psychoactive drugs" (and a picture of
Michael Vick on the package) that turns any dog ferocious.[42]
Annuale — Medicine that keeps women on a constant stream of hormones, allowing them only one
period per year. When each period happens, the user can become violent (
Tina Fey wields an ax in the office), aggressive (
Amy Poehler kicks her husband in the groin), hungry (
Casey Wilson shovels an entire birthday cake down her mouth at a child's party), and sexually frustrated (
Kristen Wiig French kisses her dog).[43]
The Apocalypse — "The people who brought you Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve" apply the same themes of those films (romantic comedy, holiday setting, all-star ensemble cast) to the world's end. This trailer's tagline: "It's love… at last sight."[44]
Aron's List — an online service that's similar to
Angie's List but charges a lower fee, thanks to its roster of plumbers, carpenters, etc. who are on the "American Registry of Non-Violent Sex-Offenders" (what the site's "Aron" acronym stands for).[45]
Asian American Doll — A
Barbie parody promotes "the doll that's
Asian American" and, as noted in
Cecily Strong's voiceover, has been designed to be as bland as possible so that it's as inoffensive as possible ("As the box says, 'Just take her or leave her'"). This includes not assigning her a name up front (kids get to do that); a play house that's barren; and accessories including a dog and a chef's hat… until one girl realizes that those are plays on the stereotype of
dog meat consumption in South Korea.[46]
Ass Angel Perfume Jeans — Women can both look and smell great in these jeans that mask "secret little lady scents" with aromas of lavender, rose, and industrial chemicals ("do not wear these jeans if you have kidney or liver problems… consult your doctor before purchasing"). Set in a 1980s music video style, this
Season 46 ad features episode host
Adele, returning SNL alum
Maya Rudolph, and feather-haired rocker
Beck Bennett ("She's got the ass of an angel/I wanna smell it some more").[47]
Ass Don't Smell — Personal hygiene spray intended to keep one's buttocks smelling fresh and clean; a parody of
feminine hygiene deodorant sprays.[48]
Autoscent — Just as air fresheners deodorize the home, this product does the same for an automobile's internal combustion system; just spray it into the
carburetor every 800 miles, and your car's exhaust will smell like lilacs or pine forests.[49]
Autumn Fizz — "The Carbonated
Douche" that "brings out the natural fragrance of femininity, with the effervescence of
uncola."[50]
Autumn's Eve Pumpkin Spice Douche — from the makers of
Summer's Eve comes a feminine hygiene product that has the bold, spicy scent of fall.[51]
Aw Nuts! Mom's a Ghost! — A promo for a new
Disney Channel show centered on a family with a peculiar mother (episode host
Kristen Wiig): After taking a lover on a business trip to
South Korea, only to have him drown her to keep their affair a secret, she returns as a "Korean water ghost" to raise her two kids and terrorize the neighborhood,
K-horror style.[52]
B
Baba Wawa Talks to Herself — Rather than talk with celebrities or world leaders,
Baba Wawa (
Gilda Radner) spends her next TV special interviewing "one tewwific pewson who I weawwy wespect — me!"[53]
Baby
Spanx — Ashamed of having a chubby baby? This elasticized shapewear can smooth out any infant's unsightly fat. As spokesman
Jason Sudeikis states, "I would never spank a baby, but I sure as hell would SPANX one!"[54]
Bad Idea Jeans — a commercial featuring scenes of people discussing what can be considered "bad ideas" (for example, "Thought about it and even though it's over, I'm gonna tell my wife about the affair."). After each scene, white text on a black background reads "BAD IDEA". Each scene also zooms in on each person wearing said jeans.[55]
Bad Seed — a venomous, near-hysterical
Nancy Reagan (
Terry Sweeney) debunks rumors that her daughter
Patti's novel, Home Front, is based on real-life, and pitches her own book that she co-wrote with
Stephen King.[56]
Balz-Off — a medication that makes men more sensitive to women by killing off their testosterone levels.[57]
Banshee — NBC staff announcer
Ed Herlihy pitches this collection of audio speakers that serve in your place when you can't (or don't want to) attend a funeral. The closing tag line: "First in Last Respects."[58]
Barkley's Bank — Former
NBA player
Charles Barkley has opened a bank in which he takes people's money and gambles with it in the hopes of either doubling their money or losing it all.[59]
Bartenson's Grocery Store — Kathy and Suzanna-Anne-Helen (
Kate McKinnon and
Aidy Bryant) promote the items shoppers fearing the
COVID-19 pandemic bypass in favor of traditional
staple foods, including "fluoride bananas," "Mint
Pringles," and a "Make Your Own BBQ Kit" (a 400-pound hog, sauce, and a knife). For those shopping online, the store's website also offers replacement suggestions such as salsa for pasta sauce and a DVD of Van Helsing for toilet paper. An ad airing as part of SNL's second-ever
"at home" episode in April 2020.[60]
Bathroom Businessman — This advert starts off as a promo for a fully functional portable office (computer monitors and all) that businessman
Kenan Thompson can set up in a
public toilet, giving a dual meaning to "doing business." It takes a turn, however, when Thompson finds he can't "do business" because the desk setup has blocked his path to the toilet… and the ad becomes "a
public service announcement for Decency," warning viewers to stop checking work texts and e-mails on the toilet ("Nothing's that important… and it's disgusting").[61]
Bathroom Cobra — To keep his girlfriend (
Cecily Strong) from discovering the big stink he just left in the bathroom, episode host
Vince Vaughn leaves this real-life venomous
cobra on the floor. A cut-for-time skit from April 2013.[62]
Bathroom Monkey — housewife
Janeane Garofalo uses a disposable simian slave that keeps your bathroom clean.[63]
BeautyBath — When insurgent forces attacking
Malacañang Palace gives her far too much stress,
Philippine present
Corazon Aquino (
Jan Hooks) relaxes and recharges in "[her] own private sanctuary of softness" thanks to this bath soap's "soothing caress." A
November 1987 parody of
Calgon bath soap and its "Calgon, Take Me Away!" ad campaign.[64]
Be My Quaran-Tine — Nick (
Alex Moffat) hasn't had time to find that special someone… until he self-isolates during the
COVID-19 pandemic and finds a person who shares the same interests, thoughts, etc. as he does — that person being himself. This digital-exclusive movie trailer, promoting "the best coronavirus rom-com of all time," was filmed during SNL's
"at home" period in spring 2020.[65]
BeReal — A
Season 48 ad for "the only honest
social media" that requires users to post pictures of their immediate surroundings within a 2-minute window… even if those surroundings include a bank robbery in progress.[66]
Berkeley Collection (Up Against The Wallpaper) —
Jerry Rubin sells wallpaper with popular protest slogans from the 1960s and 1970s, from angry, anti-establishment protests to slogans of peace and love.[67]
Beta Force — Testosterone supplements meant to give men vitality can at times work too well, turning them into overtly aggressive alpha males (especially in bed). Luckily, this supplement is a counter-agent that turns men into their paunchy, mild-mannered middle-aged selves once again.[68]
Bierhoff House of German Coats — Two German entrepreneurs (
Fred Armisen and episode host
Ben Affleck) sell bright orange winter coats to German tourists vacationing in New York City.[70]
Big Brawn Feminine Napkins — Parodying Brawny paper towels (with a jingle set to the tune of "
Big Bad John"), this ad shows giant lumberjack
Will Ferrell turning pulp from wood into a super-absorbent (albeit rough-looking)
menstruation pad. The ad is capped by Big Brawn literally tearing the roof from normal-sized
Molly Shannon's house to deliver her the product.[71]
Big Dumb products — Two spoofs of large-sized items from the mid-2020s promoted by flighty-voiced
internet celebrities:
Big Dumb Cups — With acknowledgements to the "Big Dumb Hat" ad that predates it (see below), this
January 2024 spoof of the
"Stanley cup" craze finds a trio of influencers (
Chloe Fineman,
Heidi Gardner, and episode host
Dakota Johnson) endorsing mugs that tell the world "My favorite rapper is
Kesha" or "I'm a virgin, but I have 6 kids."[72]
Big Dumb Hat — This
December 2022 ad asks, "Are you a well-off woman with straight hair and perfect makeup?" If so, top off your look with these gigantically wide-brimmed hats promoted by Fineman, Gardner, and episode host
Amy Schumer ("It's the hat that makes everyone say, 'Oh, her.'").[73]
Big Red — Made by Bleego (a parody of
Mego), this water sprinkler toy depicts a
Viking figure (complete with stereotypical horned Viking helmet) that spins around and sprays red liquid from its horns — liquid that is revealed to be hazardous, as evidenced by the thick utility gloves included to clean up the resulting mess.[74]
Bio-Flex – a parody of
exercise equipment commercials where
Will Ferrell is attacked by a half-man/half-monkey creature, which is considered a workout.[75]
Bird Bible — "Your family will never be bored by scriptures again" thanks to this kid-oriented pictorial version of the Bible, promoted in a
March 2014 ad, that substitutes human figures with images of birds (e.g. a haloed
hatchling emerges from its egg to depict
Jesus's birth).[76]
The Bitchslap Method – an infomercial promotes a self-help video course that teaches troubled married couples to bitch-slap their spouses into submission.[77]
Black Widow: Age of Me — Acknowledging criticism for giving female superhero characters the short shrift,
Marvel Studios reciprocates with this
Season 40 film trailer centered around
Black Widow (episode host
Scarlett Johansson, reprising her role from Marvel's
Cinematic Universe). But rather than a traditional
superhero film, it's a
romantic comedy that finds Black Widow in the big city, where she works for a fashion magazine, deals with a
Miranda Priestly-like boss (played by
Kate McKinnon), and falls quickly into romance with supervillain
Ultron.[79]
Bladdivan — A prescription medication (combining powerful drugs, a powerful
diuretic, and anti-anxiety medications) that treats cases of "
shy bladder syndrome" in men; side effects include "peeing yourself… and not really caring that you peed yourself."[80]
Blaine Hotel — Part of an early running gag on Weekend Update, this ad bumper has
Don Pardo announcing that guests of SNL stay at the Blaine Hotel, but is usually preceded by Update reports of serious incidents (e.g. murder, virus outbreak) taking place at the Blaine.[81][82]
Blue River Dog Food — The dog food is featured in two ads:
The first, from 2014, finds Cindy and Pat (
Cecily Strong and episode host
Seth Rogen) offering a testimonial for Blue River, which takes an abrupt turn when Cindy lashes out at the lack of integrity of their previous brand (i.e. it had a chicken on its packaging but only offered "trace amounts of chicken").[83]
The second, from 2022, finds Rebecca Anne and her partner (Strong and episode host
John Mulaney) berating fellow shopper
Heidi Gardner for buying a cheaper, lower-quality dog food instead of Blue River ("It's only 32 cents more a day"), then pleading with Gardner to buy Blue River if she ever wants to see her dog walk again (they're shown sitting in the child seat of Gardner's cart).[84]
Bok Bok's — A
March 2019 ad for a chicken restaurant that insists that its "human-bird hybrid" mascot, Bok Bok (
Kate McKinnon), is not "Momo" in a chicken suit and is "not tempting children with chicken to steal their souls" (alluding to the
social media hoax).[85]
Boop-It — A
Bop It-like memory game that's fun for kids of all ages — including divorced dad
Beck Bennett, whose obsession of mastering the flashing toy's honks and turns takes the fun out of time with his children.[86]
Booty Bidness — Rapper
Ludacris (as himself) pitches a new line of women's businesswear with racy phrases on them, such as "Porn Star", "Bi-Curious", "Tasty" (written on the rear end of a skirt), and "Nympho".[87]
Born This Way baby clothing line — From "
Osh Kosh F*gosh" comes this more inclusive collection of infant wear for parents who don't want to automatically assume their toddler will conform as
heterosexual or
cisgender when they grow up. The
onesies display such sayings as "Rock-a-
bi baby," "Silence = violence, but crying = hungry," and "I love milk…
Harvey Milk! (RIP)"[88]
Bosley – The hair transplant service offers a new procedure that borrows hair from the pubic region (or "mezzanine" as spokesman
Jason Sudeikis refers to it); the result is a coarse and curly patch of new locks on a head that had previously been bald or thin-haired.[89]
A straight-up parody of the Chanel ad, with Killan's Pitt obliging the director's request to sound less coherent by making up words ("Splindiferous," "Pintalicious").[91]
Taco Bell, and how their
Doritos Taco Loco is "a great way to make a quick meal when you have between 8 and 20 children."[92]
Franklin's Dog Condoms ("Let your dog keep his balls")[93]
Jonathan Zizmor, referring to the tattoo removal specialist as "The Subway Doctor" for his ubiquitous advertising on New York City's subway system.[94]
Bravo — The
reality-heavy TV network adds more unscripted drama, each having a tenuous cast connection with the show mentioned before it, among them The Moroccans of
Mulholland Drive (centered on a
Morocco-born dentist with a celebrity client list), A Coppola Coconuts (featuring two granddaughters of
Francis Ford Coppola), and the self-explanatory The Real Houseplants of Beverly Hills.[95]
Brew Dude – a hat that dispenses beer for the college student who would rather party than study.[96]
Broadview Security – a parody of the actual Broadview Security commercials that infer that women living alone in large houses are the most likely to be victimized by any man she meets (including male family members, androgynous singer
k.d. lang, and two kids using a trenchcoat posing as an adult).[97]
Broderick & Ganz — An ad for a team of personal injury lawyers, with happy clients praising the work of the skilled Broderick (
Kate McKinnon) and one disgruntled client (episode host
Aziz Ansari) disappointed over his representation by the incompetent Ganz (
Bobby Moynihan).[98]
Brogaine — "Because no one wants to be the bald guy in the
frat," this version of
Rogaine is designed for male college students suffering from premature hair loss caused by stress-causing factors of college life (e.g. "nerds", "midterms", worrying their frat dog is an alcoholic, chanting "the n-word" in a viral video).[99]
Broken —
CBS, seeking the award glory that
comedy dramasTransparent and Orange is the New Black have earned, premieres this show centered around a family of professors (portrayed by
Vanessa Bayer,
Cecily Strong, and episode host
Tom Hanks) who are all diagnosed with depression on the same day. The show is clearly dour and dramatic, but since it's 30 minutes in length, CBS considers it a comedy and gives it the same lighthearted promotional approach as its sitcoms.[100]
Brutal Marriage Movie — This cut-for-time trailer from
Season 47 promotes a movie documenting the overly dramatic struggles between a married couple played by "two [scene-chewing] actors who fully expect
Oscars" (
Heidi Gardner and episode host
Rami Malek). The film comes from "the producer of Marriage Story" and "a director going through a divorce himself."[101]
The Bubble — This November 2016 ad promotes a proposed domed community (formerly the
New York City borough of
Brooklyn) with a diverse,
progressive atmosphere (hybrid cars, coffee shops, used book stores, money bearing
Bernie Sanders' portrait, etc.). The community is marketed toward
millennials and liberals who are scared to live in America now that
Donald Trumpwon the presidency, but would prefer not to leave the country.[102]
Buddweiser Light — a parody of the
Bud Light "Bring Out Your Best" ad campaign, featuring hockey player
Joe Piscopo mentally readying himself against
faceoff opponent
Robin Williams. Piscopo says of Williams in the voiceover, "I can't believe my wife ran away with him," which inspires Piscopo to instigate a
fight as soon as the
puck is dropped. The ad ends with Williams and Piscopo sitting on the ice bloodied, gap-toothed, and enjoying a couple of beers.[103]
Bug-Off –
Will Ferrell appears in this parody sketch of Roach Motels. Rather than simply killing a
cockroach, this bug trap painfully tortures them and "gives them a lot to think about". The trap supposedly creates a signal that encourages the cockroach to enter, then adhesive glue holds the bug fast (much like a rat trap). Then, three
tweezers stretch the legs in opposite directions til they snap off. Then a white-hot metal coil comes down and burns off the bug's reproductive glands of as well as making a sizable hole. Then the bug is beat senseless by its own dismembered legs. Finally, two pieces of
cotton stuffed into the cockroach's orifices as food is dangled in front of it. Two kids are seen peering gleefully through a patented "viewing window".[105]
Bunny Business Soundtrack — Ahead of the release of an animated motion picture about "a couple of bunnies with a lot of ambition," its accompanying soundtrack is promoted in this
Season 35 ad. The album features songs by the likes of
Randy Newman (
Fred Armisen),
Natalie Merchant (
Kristen Wiig), and
Shakira (episode host
Taylor Swift).[107]
Burger Master – a fast food restaurant where people can get their burgers done any way they want—no matter how weird or disgusting the request may be.[108]
Business Garden Inn & Suites & Hotel Room Inn — Whether you're staying for business travel,
interventions, or "after-prom hand stuff," this budget hotel will provide "every amenity required by law" (e.g. tightly wrapped bars of soap, "curtains with sticks attached," continental breakfasts that have "cereal in gumball machines"). Take it from front desk clerks Kathreen and Kathlyn (
Kate McKinnon and episode host
Billie Eilish): "As we always say, 'We may not be the
Ritz-Carlton.'"[109]
By Yourself: The Musical — A cut-for-time
Season 48 promo for a new
Broadway musical that celebrates "the little songs we sing to ourselves" when we're alone and doing such minutae as eating chicken, petting cats, or shopping online.[110]
C
C.E.O Dreamboats – a magazine with famous businessmen as objects of desire for teenyboppers.[111]
Calgon laundry detergent — A
May 2000 parody of Calgon's long-running ad set in a Chinese laundry ("Ancient Chinese secret, huh?"). Here, however, shopkeeper Mr. Ling (episode host
Jackie Chan), upon hearing his wife (
Maya Rudolph) state, "We need more Calgon!" uses martial arts tactics to make sure overhearing customer
Chris Parnell keeps the "secret" a secret.[112]
Calvin Klein Industrial Strength Jeans – A plus-sized
Elizabeth Taylor (episode host
Joan Rivers) models CK Jeans, rambles on about her movie career, and snacks on some nearby food in this
Season 8 parody.[114][115]
Calvin Klein Underwear — CK spokesperson
Justin Bieber (
Kate McKinnon) appears in a trio of 2015 ads; though Justin says, "I'm a big boy now", he behaves immaturely, poses and preens for the camera, and leaves fellow model
Lara Stone (
Cecily Strong) unimpressed.[116]
Camel Tame — When placed "between your clothes and your business," this insert helps prevent the unsightly showing of a woman's
camel toe… but resembles a male bulge as a result.[117]
Canis Cologne for Dogs — A parody of
Calvin Klein's fragrances and accompanying sensual ads, here featuring a dog getting out of a courtyard pool and kissing (and humping the leg of) a shirtless male model.[118]
Caribbean Essence Bath Oil – foaming, scented bath enhancer that causes a
West Indian man (
Tracy Morgan) to pop up during the bath and carry his bathers across a beach.[119]
The Chad & Mrs. Douglas Show Holiday DVD — Chad and Victoria Douglas (
Taran Killam and
Vanessa Bayer) promote a
Time Life DVD collection of Christmas musical performances from their 1970s TV variety series, which feature guest performers who were clearly imbibing on drug & drink vices of the era.[121]
Carter 'N Sons BBQ – A commercial for a barbecue pork restaurant produced in 2002 but airing in 2009, augmented with disclaimers stating that the restaurant's "Swine Fever" marketing tagline is in no way connected to the then-recent
swine flu (H1N1 virus)
pandemic.[122]
Cartier Fidget Spinner — A 14-carat-gold, diamond-encrusted
fidget spinner for the woman who is glamorous yet easily distracted.[123]
Celtic Woman — It's "the cultural event your godmother described as perfection," as the Irish singing group (
Aidy Bryant,
Kate McKinnon,
Cecily Strong, and episode host
Anya Taylor-Joy) hits the road for a Summer 2021 tour of the U.S. Hear them sing deep-cut and loosely original songs… along with a random assortment of non-Gaelic tunes (e.g. "
Sweet Home Alabama") American audiences kinda want to hear more of.[124]
Chalmers Reserve Event Wine — Trett and Leezan Chalmers (
Kenan Thompson and
Cecily Strong), former stars of the reality TV show The Nastiest Summer Renters of Sag Harbor, introduce their fine wine that's 72% grain alcohol and costs only $1 a bottle. Why the low price? An Italian couple (
Kyle Mooney and episode host
Emma Stone) who makes the wine reveals an ingredient list of twigs, yellow corn, and moldy grapes that didn't make the cut for better wines ("We think it's for the dogs").[125]
The
Chameleon XLE — A luxury car on the inside, a dilapidated wreck on the outside — but all the better to deter the high risk of theft that accompanies luxury vehicles. The car features a simulated transmission fluid leak, mismatched hubcaps (and one exposed wheel painted
school bus yellow), coat hanger antenna… and a supple leather-and-wood interior.[126]
Chanel and Chanel Interior Designs for
Airbnb — Respectively played by episode host
Sydney Sweeney and
Chloe Troast, Chanel and Chanel (the latter pronounces her name "channel") will design the property you're renting out to vacationers to look as bland as possible (e.g. inoffensive artwork, 700
K-cups in the kitchen, owner closets with complicated locks).[127]
Chantix — Two parodies for the prescription medication used to treat
nicotine addiction and its advertising that uses "real people [with] real stories":
The first, from 2012, lists mental side effects that are worse than nicotine addiction itself, which user
Kristen Wiig slowly discovers she has, much to husband
Bill Hader's consternation (e.g. "If you notice changes in behavior such as a powerful, overwhelming desire to kill the person you love most, call your doctor right away.").[128]
The second ad, from 2018, emphasizes that Chantix user Kelly (
Cecily Strong) is not an actress… although she's quick to correct that she once was, and spends the rest of the ad less praising Chantix and more resurrecting her long-dormant acting skills.[129]
cheapkids.net – a website dedicated to the sale of shoddy items for babies and toddlers for irresponsible parents.[130]
Cheques — While sending money can be as routine as clicking on a smart phone app, a check provides a noir-flavored air when paying your daughter's boyfriend (so she'll never see him again), your maid (so she forgets about what she saw in the gazebo), or your poison supplier ("Just one sip, and I become head of the board").[131]
Cherry Grove —
Logo pairs its upcoming reality show Fire Island with this companion series focusing on a group of affluent lesbians who, unlike the hard-partying gay men of Fire Island one beach over, get no raunchier than sharing a fondness for dinner, wine, song, jigsaw puzzles, and
water birth.[132]
Chess for Girls! – A parody of gender-based marking of children's toys, this
chess set (unrelated to the chess game in general) features pieces with
Barbie doll-style bodies and chess piece heads, an accompanying dollhouse, beachwear, minivan, bubble blower, and so on. The tag line: "A classic game of strategy and wits… and bubbles!"[133]
Chewable Pampers – A line of Pampers diapers which contain flavor crystals that, once the diaper is soiled, turns into an edible treat.[134]
Chia Head – a parody of both the
Chia Pet and
Minoxidil; men with bald or receding hairlines use this product to give them nice green hair just like a Chia Pet. ("Not to be used in salads!")[135]
Chickham Apple Farm — Just in time for the apple-picking season, Debra Chickham (
Aidy Bryant), her sister (
Kate McKinnon), and Hank the farmhand (episode host
Woody Harrelson), promote their orchard located in "the part of New York state that has Confederate flags." Visitors can have fun at the petting zoo, haunted hayride, and, yes, the apple orchard ("For $45, you can bring home $10 worth of apples").[137]
Chonk — This clothing store offers fashions that let women be "gorgeous at any size"; much to the models' clear dismay, however, the store bears an uncomplimentary name. Also featured is "Lil' Chonk" for tween girls (Mom ushers her young model out of camera range), and the menswear store "Normal Clothes", where guys can make a quick trip to find clothes in their size.[138]
Chris Rock's White Person's Guide to Surviving The Apollo —
Chris Rock, a veteran of
Harlem's famed
Apollo Theater, promotes his video that gives tips to aspiring white comedians and singers on how to win over Apollo's vociferously critical audiences.
Siobhan Fallon and episode host
Rob Morrow appear in before-and-after footage.[139]
Cialis for Threeways —
Erectile dysfunction medication that's 50% stronger than regular Cialis "just in case
that rare opportunity arises," and also includes anti-depressants ("to help you cope with the inevitable shame and regret") and
Xanax (to help you make it through the argumentative fallout the next morning).[140]
Cialis Turnt — An ad for "the only pill that combats your
erectile dysfunction while giving you that unbeatable hip-hop sensation of 'getting
turnt.'" To demonstrate its effectiveness,
Taran Killam and
Aidy Bryant are shown dancing wildly to music similar to
Lil Jon's song "
Turn Down for What" that includes the exclamation "Everybody, get turnt!"[141]
Citizens for a Better America — Dr. Swen Gazzara (
Gilbert Gottfried) proves the value of hard work in America by asking
Ronald Reagan to personally give him a "humble job" (which he shortens to "
hum job").[142]
Clancy T. Bachleratt and Jackie Snad — A quartet of ads promote collaboration albums by "patriotic country musicians" Clancy (
Will Forte) and Jackie (
Kristen Wiig), on which they perform songs about the four things they know best: Spaceships, toddlers,
Model-T cars, and jars of beer.[143][144][145][146]
Clear-Rite — Karen (
Kristen Wiig) speaks the praises of an "invisible" teeth retainer. The twist is that the product isn't real (it's superglue), Karen isn't her real name (it's Beth), and the ad isn't an ad (Beth's just practicing her pitch work before the bathroom mirror).[147]
Clearasil — Appearing in SNL's recurring
Sprockets skit, which parodied German pop culture, a young woman uses Clearasil (or, in a strong German accent, "Clärasil") to get rid of her pimples and impress her new boyfriend. The English word "
pimples", however, is confused in the sketch with "pimplen", a strong German slang word with the same meaning as the English "
fuck" (in the sexual sense). As a result, the commercial tagline ("mach das pimplen kaput") implies that Clearasil will destroy one's sex life.[148]
Cleveland Cavaliers — This cut-for-time team promo from
Season 43 highlights "The Other Cavaliers," i.e. those who ride on the shoulders (literally) of go-to man
LeBron James, including a
Roomba at point guard, a golden retriever as starting center, and one player (episode host
Donald Glover) who's good at rolling the ball up the court on an inbound in order to preserve time on the
shot clock.[149]
Closet Organizer – A man in a blue Spandex suit (
Will Forte) is hired to organize anything in a closet that someone throws in.[150]
Clovin Hind Jeans – a parody of Calvin Klein Jeans commercials by Richard Avedon which featured numerous supermodels of the day.[151]
Club Shay Shay: Extended Cut — In January 2024,
Katt Williams reignited feuds and made gripes against several comedians in an episode of
Shannon Sharpe'sClub Shay Shay podcast. But according to this ad, 8 additional hours of Williams' (
Ego Nwodim) claims are on
YouTube, where he tells Sharpe (
Devon Walker) that, among other things, he invented fruit, he penned
Barack Obama's "
Yes We Can" campaign slogan, and that
Hollywood made
Kevin Hart "in the same factory where they make
Teddy Grahams" (replying to a doubting Sharpe, "Then why the hell he smell like cinnamon?”).[152][153]
Cluckin' Chicken – a fast-food restaurant's animated mascot (voiced by
Adam Sandler), when asked why he tastes so good, gleefully describes the process by which he is killed, decapitated, eviscerated, and flame-broiled… then, displaying a schematic chart, describes how he is consumed, digested, and eventually eliminated through defecation.[154]
CNN Pregnancy Test — just like
its namesake network, this home pregnancy test delivers "relentless breaking news" alerts to a couple waiting (impatiently) to learn if they're expecting a baby.[155]
CNZen — A
Calm-like app for those who despise
Donald Trump and seek peace in hearing
CNN anchors and commentators soothingly analyze how damning a recent
legal indictment is for the former president ("In your mind, he's already in jail").[156]
Cologuard — A spoof of ads for the
colorectal cancer screening kit and its animated box mascot. Here, the kit, which calls himself "Thomas," arrives on the doorstep of episode host
Woody Harrelson, but after Woody appears uncomfortable when Thomas says, "Open me up and, you know,
go inside me," other animated kits, including a female caricature named "Kylie," offer to step in instead.[158]
Colon Blow — In a parody of high-fiber cereal ads (notably
Total and its "how many bowls" campaign), an off-screen voice tells cereal eater
Phil Hartman he will need 30,000 bowls of his usual cereal to equal the fiber content in a single bowl of Colon Blow (2.5 million to equal Super Colon Blow, which is also promoted here). When the large numbers are quoted, a pyramid of the same number of bowls elevates Hartman into the ionosphere.[159]
Colonel Belmont's Old Fashioned Horse Glue –
Will Ferrell appears as Langford T. Belmont, a man whose family has been in the horse glue business for generations. A parody of commercials that try to appeal to old-fashioned values and tradition.[160]
Commode & Commode — Attorneys Denzel & Latrice Commode (
Kenan Thompson and episode host
Regina King) promise financial compensation for those facing hardships from using
Gorilla Glue in place of beauty product, as has happened to members of the Commode family who offer testimonials. A spoof of the "Gorilla Glue Girl" story that went viral the week of this
Season 46 ad.[161][162]
Complicit — a perfume specifically tailored for First Daughter
Ivanka Trump (episode host
Scarlett Johansson), who the voiceover positions as a glamorous yet duplicitous part of her controversial
father's (
Alec Baldwin)
presidency. The tagline: "The fragrance for the woman who could stop all of this, but won't."[163]
Compulsion – A "Calvin Kleen" disinfectant, parodying Calvin Klein's Obsession perfume and featuring an
obsessive compulsive spokesmodel (played by
Jan Hooks).[164]
Cookie Dough Sport – a parody of
Gatorade sports drink for athletes who are having a hard time and eat cookie dough out of stress and depression.[165]
Corn Syrup Producers of America — In this trade group ad,
Kristen Wiig inquisitively asks
Nasim Pedrad about why she serves her daughter juice with
high-fructose corn syrup. Pedrad responds by saying she'd rather "trust scientists" who espouse favorable data (e.g. corn syrup is natural, it's okay in moderation) than "stay-at-home mom Sheila from down the street who's having wine at 10 A.M." (a catty dig aimed at a speechless Wiig).[167]
Count Chocula Silver — Count Chocula (
Jimmy Fallon) promotes a newer version of his cereal that includes ingredients that help promote regularity and good heart health along with "kooky marshmallow bats! Bwa-ah-ah-ah-ah!"[168]
COVID — Feeling burned out from having to tend to family, friends, and work? This
Season 48 ad encourages you to "ask your doctor about COVID," which can guarantee a long vacation from everything despite such side effects as "having COVID, which is still kind of bad, but doesn't it feel different now?" Since COVID "
isn't for everybody," the Always Positive COVID-19 Home Test (which has two positive lines already drawn on) is also promoted.[169]
Cracklin' Oat Flakes (Now with
Ecstasy) –
Will Ferrell wakes up to find that he has run out of his regular Cracklin' Oat Flakes, but his wife offers this Ecastasy-laced version. After one bowl, Ferrell creeps out his coworkers, makes out with
Chris Parnell, then runs half-naked through the streets until he's seen in bed with a pacifier in his mouth and playing with a
glowstick.[170]
Crazy Edelman — A
Season 9 ad for a
Crazy Eddie-like "discount psychologist" (
Joe Piscopo) promising "the lowest prices on all types of therapy" ("Our prices are so low, I must have an inferiority complex!").[171]
Creeley's Soup — Off-screen announcer
Bill Murray tries to talk a child (
Gilda Radner) into exchanging the soup she's eating for various items. When she becomes annoyed ("No! Leave me alone! I'm eating!"), the announcer successfully talks her into not only stuffing corn from the soup into her nose but pouring the rest onto her nose ("Because the Soupman says so"). The product's tagline: "Creeley's Soup – The Child Handler".[172]
The Crests and Troughs of Vernon Hawley, Jr. — This "special TV offer" promotes a 3-record compilation from "one of
country's most enduring, yet erratic, superstars" (episode host
John Larroquette), whose song repertoire deals with his
battles with the bottle ("I hope you remember these ol' tunes… 'cause I don't").[173]
Cricket Wireless — On the week when
FEMA and the
FCC tested their
wireless alert system, one the
White House would use only in a national emergency,[174] this
October 2018 ad makes it appear that
Donald Trump will use these "
Presidential Alerts" to express the same type of opinions he shares on
Twitter. Luckily for those who use Cricket, they won't receive such endless alerts at all ("Now are you happy we have awful service?").[175]
Cruz for Texas — Footage from a campaign rally makes up this ad for
Texas SenatorTed Cruz's (
Beck Bennett) 2018 re-election effort. While a "hype team" (
Kenan Thompson and episode host
Awkwafina) is able to liven up the crowd, things fall apart for Cruz, literally and figuratively, after he takes the stage.[176]
Crystal Gravy — A parody of the clear consumer products fad of the mid-1990s, specifically
Crystal Pepsi.
Julia Sweeney enjoys a drumstick dipped in clear gravy straight from the jar, while
Kevin Nealon gleefully splashes his face in the clear, gooey liquid.[177]
CVS Pharmacy — For the guys who forgot to get their girlfriends something for
Valentine's Day, CVS is the perfect place to find it at the last minute, be it teddy bears in bee costumes ("Bee Mine"), valentine-themed
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles chocolates, or a Christmas stocking priced at an 80% markdown.[178]
D
Dad Christmas -
Aidy Bryant plays a travel agent who shows two children from a divorced family (played by
Pete Davidson and episode host
Claire Foy) all the amenities that come with traveling to Florida to celebrate "Dad Christmas": the lighting of an indoor cigarette, their father (played by
Mikey Day) introducing them to an older woman named Dierdre (played by
Kate McKinnon), their father getting into
Jimmy Buffett music, the lack of any kind of rules and structure, and, when they're older, the opportunity to do drugs with him. ("Dad Christmas: The Sad Part About This Is That He Really Tried Hard").
Damn It, My Mom Is On Facebook — When college students learn their moms just added them as
Facebook friends, they can apply this filter that bowdlerizes the wild photographs and rebellious opinions they want hidden from Mom.[180]
Darnette Disposable Toilet – the toilet that you throw away after only one use. It takes just as many steps to install and remove as a regular toilet and costs $169.95.[181]
Daveheart – A movie trailer for a Braveheart sequel focusing on William Wallace's brother and "Scotland's biggest coward," Dave Wallace (episode host
Gerard Butler), who'd rather retreat or surrender than fight with the British.[182]
The Day Beyoncé Turned Black — A movie trailer interpreting the reaction to the release of
Beyoncé's
"Formation", a song noted for its embracing of Black heritage, as an apocalyptic-style film. White Americans are shown in mass hysteria over their realization that Beyoncé is Black while Black Americans appear apathetic.[183]
Deidra Wurtz, Downsizing Expert — If you need to break the news about staffing layoffs, divorces, or even pillaged Bosnian villages, let Deidra (
Abby Elliott) deliver it in a sincere, caring, yet flighty way ("I feel really bad about it, but it is what it is") that will leave those on the receiving end appreciative and understanding.[184]
Dell Stator's 99-cent Toad Ranch – "Home of the World Famous Dell Stator Toad Pit and the Dell Stator Patented Broiling Method, where we can guarantee you the best 99-cent toad steak you'll ever eat!"[185]
Democratic Party 2018 Campaign —
Progressive-leaning voters express confidence in this ad that Democratic candidates will win in the
2018 midterm elections and put the
administration of Donald Trump in check… despite being visibly worried (e.g. sweaty armpits, wavering enthusiasm in their voices, drinking heavily, sudden violent behavior around friends and family, screaming so loud that glass shatters) over the possibility of a
"blue wave" not materializing. The closing tag line: "Vote! Please?"[187]
Democrats for Ferguson — Unlike his opponent, Terry Ferguson (
Will Ferrell) is not a
Washington insider; does not have interns working for him; and, because he lost his testicles in a fire 23 years earlier, does not
have sex with anyone. Ergo, he's the best choice for the
U.S. Senate.[188][189]
Depend Legends — Incontinent yet ashamed to wear adult diapers? You don't have to be when Depend offers a line of diapers with images of classic stars of the past (e.g.
Clark Gable,
Jack Paar,
Mickey Mantle). The tagline: "Make History. In your pants."[190]
Dianne Feinstein — After she was seen dismissing a
Green New Deal proposal to combat
climate change in front of a classroom full of children, the
CaliforniaSenator (
Cecily Strong) offers to "make things right" in this cut-for-time political ad from
Season 44. However, just as before, she spends one outtake after another arguing with students, parents, and teachers (to one kid who calls her mean, she responds, "Well, your dad wishes you were bullied more; toughen you up a little bit").[192]
Diet Coke by
Olay — Whether you drink it or splash it on your face, this facial cleanser widens your pores, defies wrinkles, and gives you "fresh, clean, caffeinated skin."[193]
Dillon/Edwards Investments – This 1999 ad promotes a financial firm that took a slow, cautious approach to providing services on the Internet; when they were ready to do so, they took the only
domain name available: "www.clownpenis.fart".[194]
Discover Card — Card user
Ego Nwodim is alerted to peculiar charges on her bill (e.g. giant scissors, red jumpsuits, hundreds of rabbits). When she calls Discover's service line, she is greeted by her raspy-voiced doppelgänger. A spoof of the credit card's "We treat you like you'd treat you" campaign by way of the horror film Us.[196]
Disney Channel Acting School —
Miley Cyrus (as herself) and
Raven-Symoné (
Kenan Thompson) promote a school where students train to act "the Disney way," learning techniques such as "Disrespecting Authority," "Pause Then Dis," and "Reacting To Stinky Feet."[197]
Divided We Stand — This ad promotes an
Off-Broadway musical that dives head-first into the contentious American political climate, though its book, songs, and cast leave a bad impression on both critics ("Time Out New York calls it 'Dangerously oversimplified'") and audiences ("I guess the worst part of the play was their confidence in it").[199]
Dog Bones-n-Melodies — The 1990s hip-hop group
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (
Ego Nwodim,
Chris Redd,
Kenan Thompson, and episode host
Jonathan Majors) open a store that sells nothing but various types of bones for dogs (big bones, small bones, chicken bones, dinosaur bones, etc.). Make a purchase and the group will serenade you before you leave.[200]
Don't Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford – A financially struggling couple (
Amy Poehler and episode host
Steve Martin) hear
Chris Parnell promote a book that tells of a simple way to get out of debt: "If you don't have any money, you should not buy anything."[203]
Don' You Go Rounin' Roun to Re Ro — A film trailer for "the toughest, grittiest, most British crime drama of the year," one that appears to be about a reformed criminal (
Bill Hader) who's forced back into the business… that is, if the audience can comprehend the
Cockney dialects and slang.[204][205]
Dopenhagen and Happy Daze –
David Carradine plays a cowboy who likes to get high on
marijuana he can chew instead of smoke. Parody of
Copenhagen chewing tobacco.[206]
Downton Abbey — At first, it appears to be a trailer for the motion picture revival of the beloved British
TV series, right down to the film's premise (Downton is readied for a visit by the King and Queen). But it's peppered with unflattering quotes from critics (e.g. "Were the stakes in the show always this low?" asks
A. O. Scott). The stealthy reveal at the very end: It's actually a promo for Joker, admitting that that comic book film is not perfect, "but at least stuff happens."[207]
Dr. Deborah Birx Scarves — Dr. Birx (
Chloe Fineman),
White House response coordinator during the
COVID-19 pandemic, finds it frustrating that all the public pays attention to during her briefings are the scarves adorning her outfit. But in this digital-exclusive ad from May 2020, she leans in by creating a line of scarves, including one that literally says "Screw you, I'm a doctor," another in bird patterns (because Birx loves birds), and others made from
periodic tables and actual
CDC statements ("If this is the only thing you're zeroing in on while I'm talking, let's make it count").[208]
Dr. Porkenheimer's Boner Juice – A parody of
erectile dysfunction treatments (particularly
Levitra), complete with the warning "If you experience an erection lasting longer than twenty-four hours, call up your friends and brag about it." Levitra's slogan "strong and lasting" is replaced by "thick and sturdy".[209]
Dr. Uncle Jimmy's Smokehouse and Outpatient Surgical Facility – A shady clinic that offers semi-professional surgery and mediocre barbecue cuisine.[210]
The Drew Barrymore Show — The daytime talk show gets parodied in this
Season 46 promo. "After seeing what went down with Ellen," the voiceover remarks (in reference to that show's
allegedly toxic work environment), "we took a hard turn in the other direction,” as evidenced by
Drew (
Chloe Fineman) adoring her guests, her remote audience (or "VFFs — Virtual Friends Forever!"), and especially her crew ("they say she maintains eye contact too long and is too emotionally supportive").[211]
Dropping the L.B.'s With Missy E –
Missy Elliott (
Tracy Morgan) pitches a workout video featuring her impossible-to-imitate dance moves.[212]
Duncan Hines Brownie Husband – a brownie treat shaped like a life-sized man, designed specifically for the single woman.[213]
Dunkin Donuts — An ad featuring "Actual Customers," all of whom are professional and telegenic in front of the camera… except for Donny (episode host
Casey Affleck), who sports a thick
Boston accent and a rude, uncouth disposition toward Dunkin's staff and customers.[214]
Duolingo for Talking to Children — Episode host
Kristen Stewart uses this instructional app to have meaningful dialogues and other interactions with children.[215]
Dysfunctional Family Christmas — From Silver Bell Records comes this compilation of songs suitable for the holiday season, "when families get together to reopen old feelings." Sing along to such tunes as “I've Got My Drinking Under Control For The Holidays,” “Can't You Let It Drop, It's Christmas,” and “Let's Pretend We Like Each Other (This Christmas).”[217]
Dyson Toilet – Parody of
Dyson vacuum cleaner ads.[218]
E
E! — "Turn off your brain" with new additions to the cable channel's celebrity-driven
reality schedule, including Kendall's Model House and Kendall's World, both featuring
Kendall Jenner (episode host
Gal Gadot), and I Hate That, with
NeNe Leakes (
Leslie Jones) offering withering fashion critiques.[95]
Eager & Jones — Jerome Eager (
Chris Farley) and Tad Jones (
Tim Meadows), "two of the greatest voices in the world, and two of the
straightest guys you'd ever want to meet," sing cover versions of love songs as if they were gay.[219]
eBay — In this
Season 46 ad, shoppers
Heidi Gardner,
Ego Nwodim, and
Chris Redd use the
e-commerce site to sell things they bought online while isolated during the
COVID-19 pandemic but never bothered to use. Also promoted is a "PreBay" option that lets shoppers with second thoughts have their purchase intercepted before delivery.[220]
The
Ed McMahon School of Laughing — For those who like to laugh, and who'd like to make money by doing so, this school trains students in the lucrative world of recording their giggles, guffaws, etc. to
laugh tracks for TV sitcoms.[221]
Einstein Express — an
express courier service that handles late-arriving packages by literally
sending them back in time to the desired arrival date. The slogan: "When it absolutely, positively has to be there the day before yesterday".[222]
Elder PSA — This
Season 49 ad features senior citizens expressing pain, annoyance, and disgust at being the targets of
TikTok pranks by the younger set, such as 78-year-old Irving (
James Austin Johnson) wetting himself after being challenged to name a woman, and 70-year-old war veteran Walter (episode host
Adam Driver) being asked to watch over a screaming kid at
Walmart.[223]
El Shrinko — Arthur Perkins (
Andy Samberg) and his friend Randy (episode host
Jesse Eisenberg) promote "the first scientific pill that can shrink your
weiner… because it's TOO BIG!"[225]
Empire – This promo parodying the
Fox television series that centered on a Black family-owned
hip hop music company introduces a new character, a white office manager named Chip (played by episode host
Chris Hemsworth) who's naive to the
Lyon family drama and just wants to run Empire Entertainment as an everyday business.[226]
The Englehart Five — The
Germanquintet's new album has Helga Englehart (episode host
Eva Longoria) and her brothers Rolf, Fritz, and Juergen (played respectively by
Fred Armisen,
Bill Hader, and
Seth Meyers) singing songs about their brother Klaus' (
Will Forte) death in a hunting accident caused by Rolf.[227]
Enid & Astrid's
Brawr Barn — From their lingerie store located at Avenue E and
Jill Zarin Blvd, Enid and Astrid (
Aidy Bryant and episode host
Anya Taylor-Joy) offer such made-in-store bras as "The Fortress" ("goes so high, it's a turtleneck") and "The Load-Bearing Wall" (made with miniature 2x4s), as well as straight-talk recommendations to customers seeking a flattering bra.[228]
Enter Stage Woof Acting School for Dogs — Yolanda Batista (episode host
Ana de Armas) and Donna Colonoscopini (
Chloe Fineman) promote their school that trains budding canine thespians, including those who appear uncooperative in this live sketch from
Season 48 ("He's a regular
Marlon Brandog").[229]
Epoxy-Dent — A 1978 ad for "the strongest denture cream permitted by law". To prove its strength, a user bites down on a wood bar, which is lifted by a helicopter ("The Epoxy-Dent Chopper Test!").[230]
EPT Home Pregnancy Test — A parody of EPT's campaign that features real-life couples using the product to see if they're having a baby. Here, a man and woman (
Seth Meyers and
Amy Poehler) await the results of the test — and nervously so, as they're really two college students who had a one-night stand two weeks earlier.[231]
Estro-maxx — This 2011 ad, promoting a once-a-day pill that gives pre-op transgender women all the hormones they need, raised the ire of LGBT media-monitoring group
GLAAD, which branded the skit's use of "men with facial hair wearing dresses" as "degrading the lives and experiences of transgender women."[232][233]
Eterna-Rest — Casket mattresses that adjust as your loved one's skeletal remains decompose, assuring them a peaceful eternal rest.[234]
Eych! — "It's the only hairball remover that
cats ask for by name." A spoof of
Meow Mix, but instead the cats cough in an exceedingly funny manner.[235]
Excedrin RT — Episode host
Queen Latifah plays a businesswoman who takes this
pain reliever to combat "racial tension" headaches (the "RT" in the product name) brought on by interns asking questions about the stereotypical behavior of black people.[236]
Exclusive Connections — Episode host
Paris Hilton promotes a sex chat line catering to nerds who are interested in science fiction and fantasy movies.[237]
Farrow & Ball — This ad starts out with
Aidy Bryant telling her brother and his wife (
Beck Bennett and episode host
Kristen Stewart) how she used this premium paint, imported from
Great Britain, to make her living room pop with vivid color (or "co-LOOUR" as Bryant pronounces the extra vowel in the word's Oxford English Dictionary spelling). But familial issues are gradually raised, including how Bryant has been spending her share of the family's inheritance (buying paint at $110/gallon), who she's been hooking up with (some shirtless guy she found on
Facebook Marketplace), and the parentage of Bennett and Stewart's baby.[240]
Father of the Bride Part 8 — Framed as a film trailer, this
Season 48 sketch finds Annie Banks (
Heidi Gardner), "three decades and seven divorces" after
the original 1991 film, wanting to get married yet again, despite the financial strains previous nuptials put on father George (episode co-host
Steve Martin). But Franck Eggelhoffer (Martin's fellow co-host
Martin Short) and Howard Weinstein (
Bowen Yang) start planning anyway, with contributions from Annie's little brother Matty (
Kieran Culkin in a cameo) and entertainment from
Selena Gomez (appearing as herself).[241]
The Fault in Our Stars 2: The Ebola in Our Everything — A trailer for a sequel to
the 2014 film about two teens with cancer who fall in love, only here Olive (episode host
Sarah Silverman) has the
Ebola virus, which severely tampers paramour Theodore's (
Taran Killam) attraction to her.[242]
Fashion Coward — A clothing store tailored for women with a fragile self-image, offering items (e.g. brown sweaters, gray sweatshirts, no bathing suits) that suggest "the general idea of a person" (e.g. "ideal juror," "goes on cruises with parents"). Store features also help alleviate the trauma of clothes shopping, including faraway mirrors, quick-burning clothes (for those unsure about wearing it), and knock-out gas if a customer spends more than 30 seconds in the dressing room (a big, strong bodyguard will finish the shopping for the unconscious customer).[243]
Father-Son Podcasting Microphone — A dual microphone that helps fathers bond with their teenage sons as if they're doing a podcast together.[244]
Fear Factor, Jr. — A
season 29 promo for a youth version of the NBC reality show, with
Joe Rogan (
Fred Armisen) coercing children to perform dangerous and disgusting stunts just as he does with adults on the regular Fear Factor. For example, one kid will have to watch his parents (including an early cameo by
Season 30 cast member
Rob Riggle) divorce if he can't eat a plate of maggot-ridden eggs Benedict.[245]
Felina Cat Food — In a parody of onsite supermarket taste-test commercials, a TV pitchman dupes a housewife into eating tuna casserole made from cat food.[247]
First CityWide Change Bank — Two ads promote a financial institution whose only service is providing change (e.g. "you come to us with 16 quarters, 8 dimes, and 4 nickels, we can give you a 5 dollar bill"). How does First CityWide make money doing this? As one service rep says it, "The answer is simple: Volume."[249][250]
Flaritin — "The fake
Claritin for fake allergies"[251]
Flenderson's — When gifting a new car to your spouse, don't forget to top it off with one of this company's gigantic red gift bows (they'll be underwhelmed if you don't).[252]
Flex — deodorant laced with
steroids that provokes its users to behave like animals.[253]
Food Dudes — For lonely men who fear being unfavorably judged when ordering too much food, this trio of
animatronic mannequins serve as the "friends" who hang out and share the pizza, chicken wings, etc.[254]
Fresh Squeezed Baseball — Episode host
Bob Uecker starts his day off right with juice freshly pureed (seams and all) from baseballs.[255]
Frozen Mexican Dinner — Musician
Paul Brittain is not feeling well during his band's recording session, claiming constipation. Luckily, bandmate
Fred Armisen offers this frozen food product with medicine designed to counter constipation ("you eat it, and ay ay ay!"). Also available in
Indian and fish varieties.[257]
The Fruiting — a movie trailer spoof for a horror flick where citrus fruits attack a family living in a haunted mansion.[258]
Fugliana — An average-looking sex doll for below-average-looking men.[259]
G
G.O.B. Tampons —
Vanessa Bayer promotes "the one brand of tampon created by the people who know women's bodies best: the gentlemen of the
Republican Party."[260]
The Game of Life:
DACA Edition — From
April 2018, this topical variation on the classic
board game forces players who pull a "
dreamer" card to take an alternative path where they must "work three jobs," dodge
ICE agents, and face bureaucratic hoops. The simulation of, and references to, real life clearly drains one player's (
Melissa Villaseñor) enjoyment in the game.[261]
Gangsta Bitch Barbie — A parody of the use of
hip hop culture in advertisements promotes a new
Barbie doll that perpetuates stereotypes of black people living in the ghetto. The doll comes with
Jolly Ranchers, a pack of
Newports, and a
restraining order against her boyfriend,
Tupac Ken.[263]
Galactic Prophylactic – Excited pitchman
Eddie Murphy promotes
Ron Popeil-produced male
prophylactics constructed with a steel core for extra durability. Also promoted is the Dura-Fram Diaphragm for women.[264]
Gap — The clothing retailer, its celebrity-driven "This is Easy" campaign, and the
Clinton–Lewinsky scandal are parodied in a trio of ads from the
24th season premiere that feature three notable figures in the scandal rocking out while casually dressed:[265]
Gary Busey Motorcycle Helmet – following his near-fatal motorcycle crash (in which he wasn't wearing a helmet), this clip features
Gary Busey (
Phil Hartman) endorsing a new line of protective headgear. On top of the helmet is an enormous foam rubber "helmet protector" with a "helmet protector protector" also mentioned (but too large to be shown).[269]
Gary Hart for President Committee — this sensually-shot ad finds a scorned woman (
Jan Hooks) fighting in vain to put
Gary Hart behind her, but Hart is there to remind her (and voters) that "you can't get him out of your mind," no matter what he may have done (an allusion to the allegations of extramarital affairs that plagued the charismatic Hart's campaign for U.S. president in the late 1980s).[270]
Gas Right – Inventor Bruce Johnson (
Fred Armisen) modifies his Breathe-Right
nasal strips to a larger size that expands the buttocks and prevents nighttime flatulence noises.[271]
Gaystrogen – a parody of the
Estrovenhormone drug; for men over 45 suffering from "queer loss".[272]
GE Big Boy Appliances — In contrast to the 1950s, women are now considered the prize-winners of the house who go out and work while the men are more likely to stay home and care for the family. But stay-at-home husbands (like episode host
Jason Momoa) can still keep the house clean with such appliances as a dishwasher with a 70-pound steel door, a washing machine 6 feet in height, and a 240-horsepower riding lawnmower-like vacuum cleaner with a stain remover that looks and acts like a jackhammer.[273]
GEICO — "Eric Butler (
Andy Samberg) is a real GEICO customer, not a celebrity," so
Whitney Houston (
Maya Rudolph) is called on to help tell his accident claim story in this parody of the insurance company's celebrities-and-customers campaign from the mid-2000s.[274]
Geritech — "If you think I'm embarrassed endorsing the Geritech line of products, you just don't know me." So says straight-faced episode host
Leslie Nielsen at the end of this ad where endorses:[275]
Blotch-Off, the liver spot remover that "works while you sleep."
Dripmaster, an undergarment for those with bladder control problems ("In fact, I'm relieving myself [brief pause] right now!").
Bung-King, "the only hemmorhoidal cream and suppository with my face on it."
Solidex, the diarrhea relief formula that's "always in my medicine cabinet, and in my make-up kit."
Gidget Goes to
Shock Therapy — This ad features three grown women acting like little girls, the result of "Gidget's Disease," a condition
psychiatristJane Curtin says makes them "terminally cute… too cute for their own good." The only cure is a form of "pointless root canal" in "The Dental Theater of Cruelty."[276]
Girls — From
Season 39, this promo for the
HBO comedy finds Hannah, Marnie, Jessa, and Shoshanna welcoming someone new to their circle of friendship — Blerta (episode host
Tina Fey), an impoverished
Albanian immigrant who doesn't entirely sympathize with the girls' issues.[277]
Giuliani & Associates — Timely yet cut for time from an
October 2019 episode, this ad finds
Donald Trump's personal attorney,
Rudolph Giuliani (
Kate McKinnon), promoting his services for those in serious legal trouble — for serious crimes they committed — and promising to make things worse. Appearing in testimonials are two clients with suspicious accents yet claiming to be American citizens; "
Yankees legend"
Bernie Williams (
Kenan Thompson), who bails from his endorsement after sensing something's up; and Giuliani associates
Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman (
Beck Bennett and episode host
David Harbour, respectively), who, after their arrests that week, surfaced as notable figures in the
Trump–Ukraine scandal.[279]
Give Us All Our Daughters Back — In this
Season 38 film trailer, a kidnapping incident at a
CIA daycare center forces several action film stars to assemble… and do nothing more than spend half the film making threatening phone calls and the other half shooting the breeze.[280]
Glamgina — Makeup for the
vaginal area, as cheerfully promoted by
Sarah Sherman and other SNL female cast members, much to the chagrin of Sherman's gynecologist (episode host
Pete Davidson).[281]
Glitter Litter Automatic Litter Factory — This cut-for-time ad from 2018 promotes a cat litter box that turns Fluffy's droppings into stunning gold and silver jewelry.[282]
Googie Rene's — In two ads, Googie (
Kenan Thompson) promotes his seasonal discount clothing shops where you can save big on clothes with obvious imperfections including:
Googie Rene's Partially Damaged Halloween Costume Discount Basement, whose costumes are so stained and torn you need props to hide the imperfections (and everything carries suspicious odors).[283]
Googie Rene's Slightly Damaged Prom Wear Barn, featuring dresses with grass stains on the backside and tuxedos with meatball stains on the front (the previous wearer fell asleep in a plate of spaghetti).[284]
The Goombahs — Cashing in on the success of
HBO's The Sopranos,
Showtime creates its own show about a commonplace
Italian-American family. The promo's tagline: "Television at its finest. And its most Italian."[285]
Gossip Girl: Staten Island — "For those who like the intrigue of Gossip Girl but hate the sophistication of
Manhattan,"
The CW promotes this offshoot centered around the salacious exploits of Chandelier Martini (episode host, and Gossip Girl castmember,
Blake Lively) and other
heavily accented denizens of
Staten Island.[287]
Go-Techs Flex with ThumbPulse — An (intentionally) amateurish
infomercial spoof promoting a home exercise machine with fingertip pulse monitors that make it hard to operate the device in the first place. Episode host
Channing Tatum is the feather-haired pitchman pushing bubbly Winona (
Kristin Wiig) to the max, despite her getting tangled in the monitor wires.[288]
Grady Wilson DVDs — Grady Wilson (
Kenan Thompson) promotes two DVDs that teach married couples his best sexual moves, all bizarre yet humorously demonstrated by Grady and his assistants in what appears to be his garage. The DVDs include:
Grady Wilson's Burning Up the Sheets, in which Grady and Amber (episode host
Megan Fox) perform moves such as "The Striking 12" and "The Skydiver."[291]
Grady Wilson's Fifty & Freaky, with Grady and "Marta from
Amsterdam" (episode host
Sigourney Weaver) demonstrating "The Sun Is In My Eyes," "The Old TV" ("Any picture yet?"), and other techniques for couples over 50.[292]
Graffiti: Say No –
New York City mayor
Rudolph Giuliani cracks down on graffiti artists defacing the city by adding insults next to their handiwork.
Grayson Moorhead Securities – Four ads, ten years apart, lampoon the tradition of competence and trustworthiness that
brokerage companies commonly display.
The first two, from 1995, feature vintage film of founder Arthur Grayson (
Jim Downey) dictating his company's "basic principles," including keeping a list of clients in a safe, secure place; projecting an air of listening to clients (even if they're not paying attention to them); and investing only in white-owned business ("Not all of Arthur Grayson's principles are followed today," the announcer advises).[293][294]
The second pair, from 2005, feature a present-day Grayson talking about his company's knack for investing in companies that either go bankrupt or are revealed to be unscrupulous (the tagline: "Losing our clients' money with dignity and pride since 1926").[295][296]
Green & Fazio — Attorney Barry Green (
Phil Hartman) and his firm specialize in personal injury cases including phantom whiplash, near-collision stress, trauma suffered by accident bystanders, and pain suffered while committing burglary, not to mention harassing defendants to settle.[297][298]
Grey Adult Pigtails — "The number one hairstyle for adults of a certain age" (i.e. those of the older,
hippie generation). "Find them at any natural health food store."[299]
Grouch — From
DC Films and "the twisted minds at
Sesame Workshop" comes this Joker-like origin story, directed by
Todd Phillips and "brought to you by the letter
'R'," about how grouchy sanitation worker
Oscar (episode host
David Harbour) came to reside in a trash can on
Sesame Street. It's not the sunny place from TV, however, as the street's memorable characters (
Big Bird,
The Count,
Cookie Monster,
Mr. Snuffleupagus,
Prairie Dawn, and
Elmo) are depicted as sex workers, drug addicts, homeless beggars, or criminals. But Oscar doesn't appear to mind, reasoning to a social worker that, "If everyone calls you trash, and everyone treats you like trash, why don't you just become trash?" A film trailer from
October 12, 2019.[301]
Gublin & Green — Attorney Frank Gublin (
Fred Armisen) specializes in physical and psychological injuries suffered by those performing in or attending Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, though the emoluments clients receive isn't monetary (show merchandise, tickets to future performances). A
February 2011 parody of
personal injury lawyer ads and the notoriously troubled
Broadway musical.[302]
Guns — A public service announcement showing how much firearms are a part of American life, whether you're proposing to your fiancée, needing protection while jogging alone in the woods, welcoming a baby into the world, or bonding with an older relative. The tagline: "Guns. We're here to stay."[304]
Hallmark Mother Collection —
Mother's Day cards that "crazy weirdo" sons who enjoy dressing up and acting like their mothers can give themselves ("because you're not just a good son, you're also a wonderful mother").[306]
Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas — A promo for
the network's nearly round-the-clock block of wholesome holiday-themed films that was cut for time from a
December 2017 episode. The ad checks off many of the tropes the films are famous for, including its use of familiar faces,
Canadian locations, and similarly themed storylines ("It's quantity over quality, people"). The films promoted here include:[307]
Yes, Santa! starring Jessica Normal (
Kate McKinnon) as a businesswoman who leaves the big city to care for her grandmother's Christmas tree farm and is wooed by an old classmate — who's really a young
Santa Claus played by "Canadian handsome" actor Chris Bearstick (episode host
James Franco)
Christmas Kitchen Wish, in which a baker and single mom (
Heidi Gardner) finds herself magically trapped inside a snowglobe and requesting extraction assistance from her “black co-worker with no backstory” (
Kenan Thompson)
Prince Santa, with "once-famous, now very Christian actress" Meredith Devoe-Ellis (
Melissa Villaseñor) portraying a figure skater who, after getting amnesia, falls for her kingdom's handsome prince — played by Chris Bearstick, because Hallmark Channel got him to do "two of these for no pay"
Hamburger Helper Antibacterial -
Chris Parnell pitches this food item that includes the "powerful antibacterial agent" Tristanex to a grocery-shopping couple (
Will Ferrell and
Ana Gasteyer) unsure if the days-old hamburger meat in their
refrigerator is safe to eat. Parnell's cooking demonstration reveals, despite the product's acrid smell, that the meat's "germ volume is almost cut in half" (by 37.99% to be precise). Also promoted is Chicken Helper with Chlorine Bleach.[308]
Hamm & Bublé — Episode host
Jon Hamm and musical guest
Michael Bublé (or "bubbly" as Hamm intentionally misprounces it) invite you to their high-class restaurant that specializes in pork dishes, sparkling champagne, and live entertainment by a visibly nervous Bublé.[309]
Handi-Off – a
topical treatment used for removal of excess fingers. ("Also try new 'Toe-Riffic!'")[310]
Handmaids in the City — This promo finds
Margaret Atwood teaming with
Sex and the City's executive producer for this Handmaid's Tale spinoff that turns the dystopian plight of a quartet of Handmaids into breezy, bawdy romantic comedy. As the ad's voiceover notes, “You’ll laugh; you’ll cry; you’ll say, 'Oh, this so could be me and my friends… you know, with
the way things are going.'”[311]
Hands-Free Selfie Stick — A traditional
selfie stick needs to be held with one hand. Not this version, whose long, a bendable arm reaches out over the user and is inserted (inconveniently) up their buttocks. Episode host
Amy Schumer ("It takes pictures?") makes an endorsement cameo.[312]
Happy Fun Ball – a seemingly simple children's toy with dozens of
disclaimers for absurdly dangerous health hazards and life-threatening properties, notably among them "Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball" and "Happy Fun Ball may stick to certain types of skin."[313]
Harley's Bristol Cream – a parody of
Harvey's Bristol Cream, in which
Gilda Radner uses the phone to find dates and then calls out to people on the street via opening the window.[314]
Have a Nice Day – A trailer for a
horror film where smiley faces haunt potential
murder victims.[315]
Headz Up – An
app that clues people into their surroundings and keeps them out of danger (e.g. "A truck is coming," "Your wife is speaking") while their eyes are glued to their
mobile device.[317]
Hedley and Wyche — An ad for "the
British toothpaste," one infused with "two teaspoons of pure cane sugar… for a smile that says, 'Yum, that was good.'" A spoof of the
stereotype that the Brits, by and large, maintain poor dental hygiene.[318]
Heinz Relax — Near-empty bottles of ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard tend to make flatulent noises, leaving the user embarrassed and the butt of familial jokes at the Thanksgiving dinner table. But these redesigned bottles, when used, make a relaxing sigh… and other noises associated with
sexual intercourse. ("Must be 18 or over to buy.")[319]
Helmsley Spook House –
Leona Helmsley (played by
Nora Dunn) creates a haunted house with the same style, class, and obedient workers as her hotels.[321]
HelpFund — In this
Season 40 parody of
international aid advertisements, Charles Daniels (episode host
Bill Hader) visits a poverty-stricken African village and gently tells viewers that for the daily cost of just 39 cents (this ad's title, and a price equivalent to a small cup of coffee), villagers can receive the food, water, and medicine they sorely lack. However, the villagers (portrayed by
Jay Pharoah,
Kenan Thompson,
Sasheer Zamata, and then-SNL writer
Leslie Jones) take offense over the insultingly low amount. Daniels gives them increasingly weak defenses for a figure that "has been decided by very educated and caring people who can save your lives," until he finally admits he does not even know what country he's actually in ("Africa?"). The ad ends with Jones' character demanding viewers send $200 "if you wanna see this cheap-ass white man again."[322]
Herbal Essences for Men — Attorney
Amy Poehler has already "got the urge," but opposing counsel
Will Ferrell and other men in the courtroom get it too in this parody of
Clairol's shampoo line and its playfully sensual ad campaign.[323]
Herman & Sons Sperm Bank — George Herman (episode host
Seth Rogen) and Eugene Sons (
Kenan Thompson) announce a going-out-of-the-business sale at "the oldest sperm bank in greater
Lansing;" they're turning the space into a
TCBY franchise, so they need to get rid of their sperm stock to assure "minimal sperm-to-yogurt crossover."[324]
Heroin AM — An
over-the-counter form of
heroin for those who want to take the drug yet remain productive parents, workers, etc. Though panned for painting the
Opioid epidemic in the United States in a humorous tone, the 2016 ad was also lauded for highlighting the issue in the first place, including the drug's dangerous risks ("Side effects include… it's heroin, so all that stuff") and its impact on people from all walks of life.[325][326]
HiberNol – "From the makers of ComaDose" comes this
NyQuil-like cold medicine that knocks a person out for the entire cold and flu season. Pitchman
Phil Hartman ("You can't buy stronger medication… in this country") and
Chris Farley appear in this
Season 18 ad.[327]
Hillary Clinton — Wanting to lure some of the younger voters attracted to
Bernie Sanders during the
2016 Democratic primaries, Clinton (
Kate McKinnon) starts taking some of the same campaign stands, so much to the point that she slowly begins to mimic the
Brooklyn-accented
Vermont Senator ("I'm whoever you want me to be, and I approve this message. I'm trying, you guys.").[328]
Hire The Incompetent – "Why should someone who is already good at their job win out over someone who is poor at theirs?" So says episode host
Charles Grodin in this
Season 3 PSA that offers testimonials from unskilled workers, among them
Roseanne Roseannadanna (
Gilda Radner's first performance of the recurring character).[329]
The Hobbit sequels — Director
Peter Jackson stretches
the film trilogy into a 19-part series, all filmed in
"S#!T-Vision" and featuring such filler material as delaying a march to
Smaug's lair (because something was left behind at
The Shire);
Gandalf trying to remember a name; splitting a dinner bill; and "The Elf Queen" (episode host
Jennifer Lawrence) deciding on what outfit to wear.[330]
Holding Your Own B--bs Magazine – Episode host
Sarah Michelle Gellar is topless in this ad promoting a magazine exclusively dedicated to photos of male and female celebrities
cupping their breasts. The ad spoofs the numerous copycat magazine covers that re-created
Janet Jackson's famous 1993 Rolling Stone cover.[331]
Home Security Decoy –
mannequins posing as criminals already breaking into a house to trick real thieves into thinking it's already being robbed.[332]
Homocil – a special drug that helps reduce the stress of parents whose male children express
homosexual tendencies. The tag line: "Because it's your problem, not theirs."[333]
Hoops — Gino's girlfriend (episode host
Jennifer Lopez) and her cousin (
Melissa Villaseñor) promote a store where they sell customized, 100%-metal hoop earrings ("So luxurious, they'll turn your ears the color of money").[334]
Horizon System 12 — After
Zenith introduces its System 3 line of television sets, Horizon Corporation tops it with "a masterpiece" of a TV set, one that produces high-performance sound and pictures… but is revealed at the end to be a gigantic console with massive speakers and a relatively minuscule picture tube.[335]
Horny Little Dork — A cut-for-time movie trailer from
Season 49 depicts the horror women encounter when their husbands become aroused upon seeing them step out of the shower, working out, or showing just a little bit of skin — sexually dorky behavior that,
Bowen Yang's genealogist character determines, has affected married men for millennia.[336]
Hot Girl Hospital — A promo for a new medical drama "from
Shonda Rimes and the top commenters on
The Shade Room's
Instagram" that features three hospital staffers (
Punkie Johnson,
Ego Nwodim, and episode host
Megan Thee Stallion) who, when lives are on the line, "will answer the call, say something rude, and hang up." Critiques one reviewer from Variety, "I didn't feel comfortable reviewing this as a white guy. Five stars."[338]
Hot Sauce Carry Purse by
Tabasco — In case the party you're attending doesn't have any
hot sauce at the buffet table, bring your own sauce in this purse ("available at
Wilsons Leather") that's "insulated and calibrated to keep your [various] sauces organized and fresh."[339]
Hoverboards — This December 2015 ad plays up on the popularity of
self-balancing scooters and their propensity to catch fire (it's the gift that says "I hate walking, but I love fires").[340]
How to Order Sushi Like a CEO – a pompous executive (episode host
Matt Dillon) promotes his book (that he hired someone else to write) on how to order at sushi restaurants, all the while patronizing sushi restaurant waitress
Maya Rudolph ("Anything else, Mr. Douche?").[341]
Huggies Thong – useless diapers shaped like
thongs; parodies the increasing phenomenon of the sexualization of young children, and parents who allow their children to dress in risqué, revealing clothing more suited for adults.[343]
I
I Know Why The Caged Bird Laughs — A promo for a new TV show featuring
Maya Angelou (played by
Maya Rudolph) pulling pranks on her circle of celebrity friends; the pranks include putting a pie on
Morgan Freeman's (
Jay Pharoah) chair, taking the bottom out of Dr.
Cornel West's (
Kenan Thompson) suitcase, and interrupting
Stephen King's (
Bill Hader) book signing to tell him that his car has been towed.[344]
I Was a Bridesmaid — A trailer for a
Netflix true-crime documentary about the cult-like horrors of being a wedding bridesmaid.[345]
I Was Not a Sucker for Saturday Night —
Laraine Newman (as her recurring character Sherry) pitches a book about her risqué encounters with the male writers of Saturday Night Live.[346]
Interbank — A husband and wife (
Will Ferrell and
Molly Shannon) extol the aforementioned bank that sends
black ops to find your stolen traveler's checks.[348]
iPhone —
Fred Armisen plays a man who uses his iPhone to keep his relationship with his pregnant wife separate from his affair with a French-Canadian woman whom he loves more.[349] (In the NBC rebroadcasts, this was replaced with another iPhone ad, this time with Jason Sudeikis as a man who uses his iPhone to elude the police.[350])
ISIS — A controversial
Season 40 parody of a
Toyota Camry ad that featured a proud father driving his daughter to the airport, where she departs for
U.S. Army training. Here, however, the daughter (episode host
Dakota Johnson) is being picked up not by an Army representative but by Islamic State militants, as her father (
Taran Killam) looks on with apprehension.[351] The ad was both blasted for mining comedy out of ISIS' atrocious actions and applauded for daring to ridicule the terrorist group.[352]
i-sleepPRO — This ambient sleep aid that has settings for "
white noise" and "black noise"; the latter includes thumping bass music, dialogue from
Tyler Perry sitcoms and the movie Friday, domestic arguments, and an old woman complaining about her foot pain.
Jay Pharoah provides voice work for the device.[353]
It Gets Better Project — A decade after its founding, the nonprofit organization providing positive advice to
LGBT youth calls on four previous recipients (played by
Punkie Johnson,
Kate Mckinnon,
Bowen Yang, and episode host
Dan Levy, all openly LGBT-identifying in real life) to advise the youth of today that it will indeed get better for them… but that they'll encounter the same types of problems (e.g. income taxes, annoying family members, criticism over musical tastes, kids' pet iguanas) that Levy's character notes were "previously only available to straight people… and that is progress."[354]
J
J.J. Casuals –
Jack Johnson (
Andy Samberg) promotes shoes shaped like bare feet for those who are as casual as he is.[355]
Jack Flatts — The
fast casual restaurant chain talks of its adjustment to providing curbside delivery due to
COVID-related restrictions against indoor serving ("We know how much you miss coming in"). But 27 seconds into the ad, the transmission is interrupted by
thrash metal music and what appears to be a group of militia members demanding that the state reopen Jack Flatts and lift mask-wearing mandates; if their demands aren't met… [low voice] "We're gonna
kidnap the governor."[356]
Jake's Non-Stick Underwear for Men — Made from the same durable ceramic coating found in
cookware, this prescription-only underwear is built for men who want their undergarments as rough and tough as they are, and who'd rather not go through the embarrassment of double bagging and disposing of their old, soiled-beyond-salvation underwear.[357]
The JaMarcus Brothers: Now Is the Time for a Tickle Fight, He He! — An ad for a CD featuring
slow jam songs from the JaMarcus Brothers: Marcus (
Kenan Thompson), Darnell (
Jay Pharoah) and "adopted white virgin" Englebert (episode host
Christoph Waltz).[358]
Jam Hawkers – Carrying the Smucker's slogan ("With a name like Smucker's, it has to be good!") to absurd extremes, this
Season 1 skit finds SNL cast members outdoing each other in endorsing, in the following order,
fruit preserves so good that the manufacturers dare to give them names that are more horrible and disturbing then the last:[361]
Dan Aykroyd – Mangled Baby Ducks: "Great jam! Beautiful jam!"
John Belushi – 10,000 Nuns and Orphans: (responding to Jane's "What's so bad about that?" inquiry) "They were all eaten by rats! Oh so good!"
Garrett Morris, who mumbles the name of the jam he's brought in, one Jane assures the audience is "the brand so disgusting you can't say it on television."
Jar Glove – A parody of commercials that use black-and-white dramatizations to show someone struggling to perform an everyday task without the use of the product being sold. Here, a housewife (
Kristen Wiig) accidentally kills her husband (
Jason Sudeikis), resists arrest, is sentenced, goes to prison, plots and executes an escape, and hides out from prison guards—all because she struggled with opening the lid on a jar without benefit of the Jar Glove.[362]
Javis Home Security Systems – This
Season 25 ad starts off as a pitch for baby wipes, featuring a man (
Will Ferrell) reminiscing about the first time he changed his baby's diaper while changing a newborn. But it's not his child, as evidenced the baby's mother (
Ana Gasteyer) becoming frantic upon entering the room ("Who the hell are you?!") and rushing to her infant while he makes a quick escape out of the window. The closing tag line: "Javis Home Security Systems. Because there are a lot of dirty creatures."[363]
Jenson Mint – Phony currency rich people can give to homeless panhandlers, so that they can leave them alone once and for all.[364]
Jeannie Darcy: Selective Startage — Episode host and SNL alum
Molly Shannon reprises her standup comedienne character in this
Season 48 promo for
Netflix's "second ever live global event"… though just as before, Jeannie's jokes, uninspiring delivery, and her "don't get me started, don't even get me started" catchphrase fall flat with a dumbfounded audience.[365]
Jewess Jeans –
Gilda Radner is the model in this parody of
Jordache jeans (and, to a lesser extent,
Levy's rye bread). The Levy's-like tag line advises that "no one has to be
Jewish" to wear Jewess ("but it wouldn't hurt", Radner adds).[366]
Jiffy Express – When you forgot your package had to be at its destination yesterday, Jiffy says "We'll take the package… AND the blame" by
back-dating packages and simulating shipping delays.[367]
Jogger Motel – A parody of the commercials for
Black FlagRoach Motel roach traps. Its tagline read, "
Joggers jog in, but they don't jog out".[369]
Joe Caucasian,[370]Joe Dude,[371]Joe Hetero,[372] and Joe Not-a-Rapist[373] — Promos for
Fox reality shows based on Joe Millionaire, where a bachelor tricks female contestants into thinking he (or in the case of Joe Dude, she) is white, a male, a heterosexual, or not a convicted serial rapist.
Jon Hamm's John Ham – the actor promotes ham you can eat while sitting on the toilet, complete with a dispenser similar to that of toilet paper.[374]
K
K-Put Price-Is-Rite Stamp Gun — A price-stamp gun that allows shoppers to freely alter the prices of various goods (particularly groceries) in their own favor.[375]
Kannon AE-1 — A camera that's "so simple, so advanced, even
Stevie Wonder [as himself] can use it," though the photos he takes of tennis pro
John Newcombe (
Joe Piscopo) are off-center or out of focus. A spoof of ads for
Canon'sAE-1SLR.[376]
KCF Shredders — Lampoons fast food industry's marketing to kids, in this case with lettuce. "Now with
How Stella Got Her Groove Back action figures!"[379]
Kemper Pedic Bed — Stacey & Pete Kemper (
Vanessa Bayer and episode host
Jason Segel) promote their "me-time mattress" that allows one spouse to get a very restful night's sleep while the other does whatever they desire.[380]
Kim's Fairytale Divorce — "Whoopsies, I got divorced!" So admits
Kim Kardashian (
Nasim Pedrad) in this promo for the latest
E! special centered on the Kardashian family, this time making a glamorous event out of Kim's divorce from
Chris Humphries (
Andy Samberg).[95]
King Brothers
Toyota — In promoting their "Overstocked Sale-A-Thon," Randy King and Shorty King, Jr. (
Andrew Dismukes and
James Austin Johnson) advise viewers to take a "hard left" at Exit 260 off Highway 8 to their dealership. Take a right, however, and you'll get into the source of the brothers' animosity, "these trendy [fast food] chains with massive drive-thru lines" (in particular
Raising Cane's).[381]
Kohler Co. toilet fixtures — Two ads that feature a stylishly-suited protagonist (episode host
Benedict Cumberbatch), an angry adversary (
Mikey Day), and dark settings to promote new, stylish toilet designs from the
plumbing company that's been "#1 in
#2 since 1873"
Koohl Toilet — This toilet, promoted in a
Season 42 spoof of the classic
"1984" ad that introduced
Apple'sMacintosh computer (complete with Cumberbatch carrying a sledgehammer), allows one to sit “the cool way”—backwards, with their arms casually draped over the tank—as opposed to the forward-facing old toilets
Big Brother (Day) has dictated the proletariat use.[382]
ReKhline — In this
Season 47 ad, the setting is now a schoolroom, and Cumberbatch now drops trow on a
recliner-like toilet, complete with extendable footrests and tank as backrest; it upsets Day's stern teacher, who has just taught his pupils that "there's only one acceptable way to sit on the toilet" (sitting upright, feet firmly on floor).[383]
Kool-Aid — The same week
Gillette launched its "
The Best Men Can Be" campaign, which encouraged men to become better role models, this
January 2019PSA calls out the
Kool-Aid Man and paints his longtime propensity to crash through walls as a bad influence of masculine behavior on both boys (
Colin Jost's son plunges through another kid's play set) and grown men (
Alex Moffat bursts through a conference room door and interrupts
Heidi Gardner's business presentation).[384]
Kotex Classic — a very large
sanitary napkin, attached to a belt and clearly visible under a woman's clothing, very much like the sanitary napkins worn by women and girls of the 1950s.[385]
Lansford Brothers & Associates: Hangmen-At-Law — Businessman brothers (
Will Forte and
Bill Hader) offer professional Texas-style lynchings.[387]
Lanzetti's Lawn Care — Steve and Sandy Lanzetti (
Mikey Day and episode host
Maya Rudolph) promise their company will handle all your landscaping needs… and only hire sexually awkward, socially repellent workers who won't get it on with your wife ("The only temptation is our low prices").[388]
The Laughing Buddha — Episode host
Howard Hesseman promotes a health food store that sells novelty items people can use to play pranks on vegetarians, vegans, and those into the organic lifestyle.[389]
Law & Order: Parking Violations Unit — A promo for the latest addition to the
Law & Order franchise, this one centered on the police who investigate parking crimes and the district attorneys who prosecute the ticket-challenging offenders.[390]
Leave Me Alurn — If women want to avoid small talk with men, they can use this "conversation prophylactic" in the shape of a
funerary urn to make men think they want to be left alone while they spread their loved one's ashes. It's from the makers of Lower Back Spikes, a belt used for women who are sick of men touching them on the smalls of their backs when they walk past them.[391]
Leevi's Three-Legged Jeans — Various SNL cast members cavort about in these jeans that feature a redundant third leg in the middle. The
Season 17 ad features a
reggae-tinged jingle, various catchphrases (e.g. "Three at Last," "A leg and a leg and a leg"), and this ad-ending remark from
Tim Meadows: "Hey, not any dumber than acid-washed."[392]
Lemon Glow — Ex-biker chick
Molly Shannon wistfully recalls her drugs-and-sex days while cleaning the suburban home (and related family life) she's conned herself into, using this household cleaner "for the home you weren't sure you wanted."[393]
Leland-Meyers Home Headache Test (HHT) — Run a "moderate amount" of your blood in a centrifuge, place one drop on a test strip, and in two hours you'll learn whether or not you actually have a headache. A
Season 20 parody of home
pregnancy tests featuring
Janeane Garofalo and
Kevin Nealon.[394]
Lesbian Period Drama — "From the makers of Portrait of a Lady on Fire and The Favourite" comes this hauntingly-lensed film featuring a cold, seaside setting, c. 1840; two straight actresses (
Heidi Gardner and episode host
Carey Mulligan) in the lead roles; 12 lines of dialog in a 21⁄2-hour run time; and "a sex scene so graphic, you'll think, 'Oh, right, a man directed this.'"[395]
Levi's Wokes — sizeless (i.e. baggy), style-neutral (i.e. grayish brown), gender non-conforming denim jeans for a generation that defies labels.[396]
Lexon Paradox — Two automotive design teams produced two completely opposite cars (e.g., one was the most expensive car ever, the other the cheapest; one was the safest, the other designed to throw flaming victims hundreds of feet in a crash). In the end, the two were combined to create The Paradox.[397]
Lexus — The luxury car maker's "December to Remember" sales event is parodied in this
2020 ad that finds
Beck Bennett surprising his wife and son (
Heidi Gardner and episode host
Timothée Chalamet) with a new Lexus sedan on Christmas morning, complete with a red bow on the roof. But Gardner is more horrified than surprised, considering Bennett has been out of a steady job for well over a year, thought the car cost only $3999 (that's just the down payment "due at signing"), and got neighbor
Mikey Day to loan him the money. The closing tag line: "Give the gift of Lexus, and definitely talk it over first."[398]
Liberty Medical —
Wilford Brimley (episode host
John Goodman) begins his pitch for this medical supply delivery service by explaining how, with
"dye-a-beetuss", he has to take extra care of his health, but continually qualifies, and admits to exaggerations, until by the end, he's described hiding a "food boner" over delivery of $200 worth of pork ribs to his house, never having moved fast enough to sweat, and the fact that he may not even have diabetes—his doctor "just thinks I look like the kinda guy who would have it".[399]
Liberty Mutual — A cut-for-time parody of the insurance company's "LiMu Emu and Doug" campaign from
Season 49 finds Doug (played by episode host
Shane Gillis) and his
emu partner breaking down the door of a man (
Marcello Hernández) who's been "paying for coverage they don’t need.” It ends horribly, though, when the emu shoots the man in cold blood and, before pulling a brick of cocaine from under the couch, plants an
unmarked gun next to his body. LiMu's response upon Doug discovering his partner is a dirty cop: "We're in a bad part of town."[400]
Lil' General Fireworks — A
fireworks manufacturer promotes their product as a family-friendly way turn any boring weekend into the 4th of July.[401]
Lil' Poundcake — This
Season 37 ad promotes a doll that's not only sweet enough for girls to play with, it gives them an
FDA-approved
HPV vaccination shot when they least expect it. The closing tag line: "The only thing you're gonna get infected with… is fun!"[402]
Lincoln Financial — Three spoofs of the
investment company's "Get to know the future you" campaign, specifically an ad in which an airline passenger meets the future version of himself.
Ad #2 finds another man (
Bill Hader) learning from his future self that he's going to gain weight, go bankrupt, fly to Hawaii, and kill himself (but not before making out with him)[404]
Ad #3 finds another man (episode host
Ben Stiller) mistaking a female passenger (
Abby Elliott) for his transgender future self.[405]
Lite Beer —
Bill Cosby (
Eddie Murphy), much as he does with
Jell-O, promotes the virtues of Lite to a table of children in this
Season 6 ad, including telling them
Fat Albert drinks it ("soon he won't be fat anymore, he'll just be Albert") and pouring it into their cupped hands (to demonstrate how "light" it is).[407]
Little Brothers — An ad similar in vein to
Peyton Manning's "United Way" commercial; here, Manning's younger brother
Eli is ambassador of a mentoring program for young boys who need a strong, male role model in their lives — and someone to beat up their mean older brothers (one of which, played by
Andy Samberg, is locked in the trunk of a car and mistakenly referred to as "Peyton"). The commercial ends with the tag line "Little Brothers: Because the time of reckoning is now at hand", followed by Eli and his young charges laughing maniacally.[408]
Litter Critters —
Cheri Oteri appears in this sketch about a kit that allows children to take their cat's fecal waste and mold it into fun figurines. "♪♫ When you hear a scratch, here comes a batch — It's time for Litter Critters! ♪♫"[409]
Lobotol — Fashion designer
Nancy Walls talks about how it's hard to keep up with overachieving colleague Katie (
Cheri Oteri). But once she sees Katie feeling stressed out, Nancy recommends to Katie this non-prescription "stress relief" medication ("No need to consult a physician before use" according to an on-screen graphic). Three weeks later, Nancy is the one with a pay raise, while Katie appears
vacant and confused.[412]
Long White Beard — "Let 'em know you've been waiting" by donning this obviously fake beard whenever someone who's taking too long to arrive, return, etc. is quite tardy.[413]
The Looker —
TNT's newest procedural drama stars
Penny Marshall (
Fred Armisen) as a police interrogator who gets suspects to sign confessions simply by staring at them for long periods of time.[414]
Loose Bear — a
hallucinogeniclaxative that makes you dream you're being chased in the woods by a hungry
bear, thus "scaring the crap out of you".[415]
Lori Davis Hair Spray Exciting Hold — Listed in the SNL sketch records as "Focus on Beauty II", this
infomercial spoof promotes an environmentally conscious hair spray with no alcohol in it, featuring episode host
Christina Applegate as
Cher,
Chris Farley as Lori Davis, and Phil Hartman as "Brad in the Lab".[416]
Love Island — The British reality TV series (and inspiration for the
summer guilty pleasure on
CBS) comes to
Hulu, complete with contestants with an exhibitionist streak, an aim to hook up with someone… and hard-to-comprehend regional dialects.[95]
The Love Toilet —
Victoria Jackson &
Kevin Nealon share the most intimate moment of them all… on a single-based toilet with two seats, placed so that the seated users can face each other. "Because when you're in love, even five minutes apart can seem like an eternity."[417]
The Lung Brush — used every night by heavy smoker
Chris Farley to remove quarts of tar from his lungs before going to bed with wife
Victoria Jackson ("Did you forget to brush?"). Former
NFL quarterback
Ken Stabler makes a celebrity endorsement cameo.[418]
Lux 420 SL —
Cliff Robertson, in a deadpan cameo, promotes the car that caters to insane people; designed by such notables as
Nostradamus, its features include an in-console sink for compulsive
hand washing and enough trunk space to hold copious vials of one's own urine. The tagline: "There's a radio in my fingernail… CAR!!"[419]
M
Mack North — Even though he handily defeated opponent Fred Peete (
Chris Parnell) in the 6th district election, North (
Will Ferrell) continues his campaign against him with a trio of attack ads, all in an effort to rub his victory in Peete's face.[420]
Macy's — For its
2019 holiday sale, the department store promotes discounts on men's blazers; cashmere tops; and for kids, clothes they'll immediately loathe because they're itchy, too tight, will soil easily (due to not making it to the bathroom in time), and cause their parents to lose their temper while trying to keep them neat. The closing tag line: "The clothes they'll hate create the memories you'll love."[421]
Magic Mouth — a device which is inserted into the
rectum and converts
flatulence into "polished expressions" (e.g. "Did you see Charlie Rose last night?").[422]
Man Park — It's like a dog park, but for men in relationships who stay at home alone and have nobody other than their wives and girlfriends to chat or play with.[423]
Man Stain — A line of men's cosmetics (or "revolutionary skin ammo") marketed with manly names and dispensers (e.g.
base foundation in a beer can, blush in a calking gun). A cut-for-time ad from
Season 46.[424]
MartinSheen — A hair spray which consists of episode host
Martin Sheen sipping water from a paper cup and spitting it on Jane Curtin's hair as she pitches the product, pausing occasionally to nod in agreement with her statements (e.g. "MartinSheen is eco-friendly. You wouldn't dream of hurting the environment, would you?").[426]
Mary-Kate & Ashley Perfume — The perfume that fits your mood, whether you're an
Ashley or a
Mary-Kate. A female voice-over whispers "Ashley" to one activity and "Mary-Kate" to another in contrast.[427]
Marzipan — "The mostly almond, almost candy from Germany" that comes in various kid-friendly shapes and has "the flavor of nuts, but the texture of nuts."[428]
The second ad includes tips on writing personal journals from
Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fineman), looking good in a suit from
John Mulaney (
Melissa Villaseñor), and "something" from
Britney Spears (Fineman), who coos that "the thing that helps me most during quarantine is being rich."[430]
Match.com — This ad for the dating website features various female site members talking about the man they hope to find… and
Martha Stewart (
Kate McKinnon), who just wants "a successful man… for intercourse."[431]
Maya Angelou —
David Alan Grier, in his 1997 turn as episode host, mimics the acclaimed poet and her flowery, emotional, hyperbolic prose in a trio of ads, including:
Butterfinger candy ("Glad mantle of golden chocolaty hope upon my breast.")[432]
Froot Loops ("Fruity loops, Fruit Loopies, swimming in the churning, frothy mother sea of milk.")[433]
Pennzoil ("O! Magic shining ewer of liquid ball bearings.")[434]
Maybelline For Men — Finally, cosmetics for guys.[435]
McIntosh Jr. — A parody of early ads for
Apple'sMacintosh computer that promises elementary-school users "the power to crush the other kids!"[436]
McIntosh Post-It Notes —
Apple follows up on its
MacintoshPowerBook and
NewtonPDA with this palm-sized device that has "the practicality of a
Post-it Note [versatility, convenience, sticky back] with the power of a
McIntosh [handwriting-to-text, editing]."[437]
Mega Mart — In this 2010 ad, an amped-up
Bobby Moynihan promotes the big-box retailer's "12-Minute Madness" sale on
Black Friday. A "savings stampede" will be assured thanks to freshly waxed floors ("Slide into savings!"), no security guards, box cutters for every customer (to remove overstocked items from the back of the store), and an exclusive offer of a previously unreleased
Harry Potter book.[438]
M3GAN 2.0 — The robotic title character of the motion picture M3GAN has become an icon to gay men, prompting this sequel centered on a newer model (episode host
Aubrey Plaza) programmed to party alongside the original doll (
Chloe Fineman) and the "little homos" at the clubs. M3GAN star
Allison Williams has a cameo.[439]
Me-Harmony.com – a 2005
parody of
eHarmony promotes a
matchmakingwebsite for
narcissists. Various SNL castmembers have dual roles as both the happy Me-Harmony client and, in drag, their perfect mate. The ad also promotes its sister service, the gay matchmaking site He-Harmony.com.[440]
Mellen — Men are staying at home more, but there's no daytime talk show that caters to them. So, "
ABC thought about it for 10 seconds" and came up with "the male Ellen," hosted by a guy who posted a lot on
4chan (episode host
Jason Sudeikis in an
Ellen DeGeneres wig) and, in this promo from
Season 47, presents his own Ellen-style yet male-oriented set of interviews, viral segments, and sneak-up pranks including
Kyrie Irving (
Chris Redd) getting a surprise
COVID-19 vaccination.[441]
Mel's Char Palace — Mel (
Dan Aykroyd), with help from a saw-wielding "Mrs. Mel" (
Gilda Radner), promotes his steakhouse on "
Route 17,
Paramus" where diners select their own steer, cuts and portions ("You stun it, you cut it, you charbroil it").[442][443]
Mercury Mistress — This spoof of luxury automobile ads promotes "a car so sexy, you'll just want to have sex with it" (because a rubber
vagina is hidden behind its license plate).[444]
Metrocard — A customer-and-employee
credit card testimonial starring
Phil Hartman as a business traveler who needed to call Metrocard's customer service line, and episode host
Roseanne Barr as the sassy representative that came to his assistance ("Yeah, like I've got nothing better to do than to sit around and listen to him bitch").[445]
Michael Braslow's Santa Traps — If you're sick and tired of
Santa Claus creeping around your house every December, writer/inventor Michael Braslow (episode host
Martin Freeman) recommends his
bear trap-style product designed to capture Santa… though it clearly traps more bears than jolly ol' elves. Braslow's sorrowful wife (
Cecily Strong) also appears to explain why Santa is at risk: Michael hasn't been the same since being hit in the head by a hockey puck. A cut-for-time ad from 2014.[446]
Michael Bublé Christmas Duets — The
singer, appearing as himself, follows up his solo holiday album with this collection of seasonal duets with celebrities who are the opposite of Bublé's elegant charm, among them a starstruck
Taylor Swift (
Kristen Wiig), a vamping
Justin Bieber (episode host
Jimmy Fallon), a wisecracking
Russell Brand (also Fallon), and a gun-wielding
M.I.A. (
Nasim Pedrad).[447]
Michael Phelps Diet — The
Olympic champion swimmer shows his "eat whatever you want, and as much as you want" diet, one that, by virtue of its high-calorie count (12,000, the actual number of calories Phelps was required to consume while training), is almost certainly fatal to anyone who's not an Olympic-caliber athlete.
Subway pitchman
Jared Fogle appears, stating "this diet sucks a
foot long".[448]
Middle American Van Lines – A moving company that moves families instead of their belongings.[449]
Mike's stores —
Thick-accented Mike (
Fred Armisen) promotes his outlets in
Lynbrook,
Long Island whose inventories can add millionaire-style class to your surroundings, while "beautiful daughter" Lexie (episode host
Scarlett Johansson) assists ([pointing to rotating images on the screen] "Imagine walking in your house and seein' dis one. Or dat one. Or dis one.").
Mike & Toni's Chandelier Galaxy (
Season 31), in which Mike, with wife Toni (
Rachel Dratch) nodding in agreement, tells viewers that
chandeliers add elegance to any room in the house, even the garage.[451]
Mike's Marbleopolis (
Season 32), where a fine assortment of
"mawble cawlums" will make any home or room look like a castle.[452]
Mike's Fountainry (
Season 34) finds Mike and Lexie telling how "
pawww-celain fountains" will turn your home into a mansion, while Mike's visibly nervous son-in-law Nick (episode host
Ryan Reynolds) reassures viewers that "I come to you" to handle installation and repairs.[453]
Mike's Busteria (
Season 36), where
ceramic busts will make people "think you own a Mercedes and have a tennis court behind the bushes."[454]
Milsford Spring Water –
Tom Bodett narrates as a
bottled water's unusually "rich history" is re-enacted: Rather than share a pure spring creek with neighboring Dunbee, the
Massachusetts town of Milsford brutally destroys Dunbee and most of its residents — "over 107… days ago. You probably heard about it on the TV".[455]
Mom Celebrity Translator – A handheld electronic device that allows young'uns to decipher what well-known celebrity their not-very-hip mothers are trying to describe to them (e.g. "Kite Carbinaw" to
Kim Kardashian).[456]
Mom Jeans — Inspired by writer
Tina Fey purchasing high-waisted jeans by accident, these jeans feature 9-inch zippers, casual front pleats, and a generous, extra-rounded cut "to fit a mom's body." On sale exclusively at
JCPenney (who'll throw in a "free Applique Mom Jeans Vest" with each purchase), these jeans say, "I'm not a woman anymore; I'm a mom."[457][458]
Morgan Stanley — This 2005 ad finds a man (
Will Forte) scolding young Ashley (
Amy Poehler) with threats to empty out her college fund after she's caught smoking pot at school (he also accuses Ashley's boyfriend, portrayed by
Andy Samburg, of being her drug dealer). The man, however, is not Ashley's father but her family's "Morgan Stanley guy" (dad
Fred Armisen meekly greets Ashley in the car).[459] A parody of the investment bank's "One Client at a Time" campaign that dramatized the family-like bond between its agents and their clients.
Mostly Garbage Dog Food – Dog lover
Jason Sudeikis gets his priorities straight by serving bagged garbage to his canine pal as a money-saving measure because of current economic issues.[460]
Murdur Durdur — A promo for a spoof of Mare of Easttown, set in a
Pennsylvania village where everyone knows each other and shares a very specific (and at times indecipherable)
Pennsylvania accent, and whose police department includes a "grizzled lady detective" played by "an actress (
Kate McKinnon, channeling Mare's
Kate Winslet) with a messy ponytail that says 'forget I'm actually British.'"[461]
My Drunk Boyfriend — For the woman who longs to care for their inebriated boyfriend, there's this life-sized animatronic doll that comes pre-programmed with slurring speech and inappropriate actions (e.g. urinating in the clothes hamper, bringing a burnt pizza to bed, crying over a dead, unknown relative, and passing up a glass of water to have one more beer). Also available is My Drunk Girlfriend, for men who want to care for their inebriated paramours.[462]
My Little Step Children — Dolls for children who like playing with dolls but would rather pretend-play being the uncaring stepparent than the loving mommy. A cut-for-time ad from 2018.[463]
N
National Nurses Week — People in the
nursing profession tell about their love of their work in this
May 2024 ad, including two nursing home attendants (
Ego Nwodim and episode host
Maya Rudolph) caring for a dementia-addled patient (
Mikey Day) and his atrocious behavior.[464]
National Uvula Association — In this "public service dramatization," sibling
Laraine Newman and house-call doctor
Chevy Chase advise
Gilda Radner and the audience to take proper care of the
uvula, without ever saying what the uvula actually is (a small piece of flesh hanging from the rear of the
human mouth's
soft palate that requires little, if any, maintenance).[465]
Navy Adventure (Port of Call:
Bayonne, New Jersey) — A
Season 4 spoof of the
United States Navy's recruiting commercials. Instead of training and missions, here sailors perform such mundane things as mopping decks, cleaning toilets, doing laundry, and performing
kitchen duty. The closing tag line: "It's not just a job [or an adventure], it's $96.78 a week!"[466]
NBC: Our Age Is Showing — A self-parody of NBC's "Our Pride Is Showing" campaign from the 1981–82 season, complete with a deteriorating
"Proud N" logo.[467]
NCI — Spokesperson
David Spade makes outlandish promises for this long-distance phone company's service, among them a guarantee that who you want to call will be at home to answer.[468]
Nebulzitol — An
FDA-approved drug wives can give to their husbands when they've got
March madness (its name literally means "no
balls at all").[469]
Ned's Roach-Away — Ned (episode host
Charles Barkley) promotes his alternative to roach control products that contain harmful chemicals: Specially-trained roaches with miniature firearms, because "the only thing that can stop a bad roach is a good roach with a gun."[470]
Nelson's Baby Toupees — Baby-sized versions of adult-styled toupees that helps alleviate the stigma of "male infantile baldness" and fosters babies' social interaction skills.[471]
Nerf Crotch Bat —
Chris Farley and
Rob Schneider headline this ad for the latest addition to the
Nerf line of toys, a bat cushioned in Nerf foam that kids and adults use to hit each other in the genital area. Also advertised is "Nerf Crotch Missile" and "Nerf Nerf", the latter a formless plasmatic blob of Nerf foam material.[472]
Nest-spresso —
Urban farming is made easy with this
Nespresso-like machine that incubates a fertilized chicken egg in minutes.[473]
Netflix — The streaming service announces their heavy spending on film and series development that will create an “endless scroll” of content in 2019, will take twelve human lifetimes to get through, and will cause the end of the world via
The Singularity. Among the new offerings:[474]
Officer Winslow, a gritty reboot of Family Matters where Carl Winslow (
Kenan Thompson) is a gun-toting alcoholic who threatens to shoot Steve Urkel (
Chris Redd) for once again hitting on his daughter, Laura (
Ego Nwodim)
Leslie Jones in a Van Buying Batteries, an unscripted comedy in which Jones' trip to "go get some
Duracells" goes pear-shaped when she runs over a cyclist with her van and flees an incoming police car's sirens
Network Battle of the T's & A's — This
Season 4 promo for an NBC celebrity competition special (one not unlike
ABC'sBattle of the Network Stars) features gratuitous shots of female competitors "with the biggest
T's, and the nicest
A's!" A spoof of the late-1970s trend of TV shows featuring well-endowed, suggestively-clad women in their cast.[475]
Neutrogena Coin Slot Moisturizer — Since new fashions increasingly leave your
coin slot exposed to sun and wind, use this special moisturizer to keep it soft and supple. A 2006 parody of
Neutrogena's specialized moisturizing products features
Kristen Wiig and episode host
Lindsay Lohan.[476]
New Balance — Shoes made for athletes to run in… and for "chubby white guys in their late 30s to early 40s" to stand around in ("Because your feet literally won't fit into any other shoe").[477]
New Dad Insurance — SNL's very first commercial parody, promoting "a radically new concept in family insurance coverage": If the father of the house departs for any reason, a replacement dad will be there within seconds to care for your family's emotional and physical needs.[478][479]
New York City PSA — Various New Yorkers show gratitude for the essential workers, healthcare providers, volunteers, and other fellow residents who've stayed resilient during the
COVID-19 pandemic… but getting the most screen time is an older woman (
Kate McKinnon) in
Central Park seen dancing, lounging topless, and presenting a one-woman version of The Lion King while
Broadway is shuttered.[480]
Nextdoor — A filmed ad for the
hyperlocalsocial networking service finds an apartment-dwelling teen (episode host
Billie Eilish) viewing a lonely elderly woman (
Kate McKinnon) in the next building over, and with her mother's permission invites her via handwritten messages for her family's Christmas dinner. Soon, however, the girl learns that the woman is a bigot ("Are there any black people over there? Jews?"), thinks dogs are a culinary delicacy, and is
imposing her will on her ailing son, Gunther (
Mikey Day). Nextdoor's closing tag line: "This holiday season, know thy neighbor before you love them."[481]
Next for Men — A new antiperspirant for famous men — such as a stand-up comedian (
Kyle Mooney), a big-time Hollywood actor (
Alex Moffat), or a Fortune 500 CEO (
Will Ferrell) — whose careers are on the line due to sexual misconduct allegations.[482]
Nice Jail — After his own time in stir (where his vampire-style hair was the source of fellow inmates' jokes), Abby Westminster (episode host
Willem Dafoe) converts a former
Marriott hotel into a more-pleasant alternative for inmates who are (or in some cases, eventually will) do time… even though the criminal justice system doesn't recognize it as a jail (the ad's "it doesn't count" tagline admits this). A cut-for-time ad from
Season 47.[484]
Night Murmurs — An ad for a
phone sex hotline where three scantily-clad operators (
Cecily Strong,
Kate McKinnon, and episode host
Cameron Diaz) can't wait to talk to you… but they need some assistance in return (Strong in scaring her grandmother, McKinnon in not taking silly bets, Diaz in picking up a dangerous package).[486]
Nike Pro-Chiller Leggings — women's athletic endurance pants that are perfect for whether you're actually exercising or, in the cases of two women played by
Kate McKinnon and
Aidy Bryant, lounging around your couch on a lazy afternoon.[488]
Nikey Turkey —
Chris Rock raps about the perfect solution to a small meal for a large
Thanksgiving gathering: A turkey that can be inflated by pressing a built-in pump button ("Pump it up!").[489]
Norman Bates School of Motel Management — Norman (episode host
Anthony Perkins, reprising his role from Psycho) promotes home-study courses on the responsibilities of managing your own motel.[491]
North American Savings — How does this savings bank keep its customers' money safe? By ensuring that with extremely stringent requirements, "we make virtually no loans at all, rejecting 97% of loan applications."[492]
Nugenix — A spoof of ads for the testosterone-boosting male enhancement supplement endorsed by athletes
Frank Thomas (
Kenan Thompson) and
Doug Flutie (
Kyle Mooney); here, they're assisted by episode host "Sir
Willem Dafoe" (because he's frequently mistaken for being British) in talking up Nugenix to a fellow golfer (
Mikey Day) who denies having trouble "getting hard."[495]
NuvaBling —
Vanessa Bayer,
Kate McKinnon and
Cecily Strong appear in this parody of ads for the
NuvaRing birth control device. This version doubles as a customizable jewelry accessory (placed around the
vaginal area) for women not trying to get pregnant while enjoying the night out. But as user testimonials attest, the device hurts as much as it works.[496]
O
Olay Eye Black - Episode host
J. J. Watt promotes an under-eye cosmetic that smells like Jack Daniels, gasoline, and matcha extract (green tea) for football players like Watt (and men in general) who want to look tough and get rid of dark under-eye circles and bags that come with aging.
Old Glory Insurance – a parody of older celebrities (such as
Wilford Brimley and
Alex Trebek) promoting insurance for senior citizens.
Sam Waterston, in a
deadpan performance as "Paid Spokesperson", touts the advantages of the only
life insurance company to provide full coverage against the leading killer of the elderly: attacks from
robots that feed on the medications the elderly often use.[497]
Once-A-Day Extra-Strength Nasaflu —
Kristen Wiig has a hard time pitching this cold remedy due to constant interruptions from husband Gary's (
Will Ferrell) over-the-top shout-like sneezes ("Just sneeze like a normal person!").[498]
Only
Bangkok – parody of
Las Vegas's "What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas" commercials, shown in three parts:
In part two, a businessman (
Seth Meyers) calls his friend for the number of a
Dutch man who can help him remove a
Thaihooker who ended up dead after he had sex with her.[500]
In the concluding part, Seth's businessman is on the phone with the Dutchman about the removal of a dead prostitute — but this time the prostitute is a male. Also joining the businessman is Affleck, wearing a pink robe, earrings, and makeup and asking the Dutchman (played by
Darrell Hammond) if he's interested in buying
panda meat, and a paranoid
Kelly Ripa (in a
cameo appearance) wielding a meat cleaver and exhorting the businessman to cut the prostitute up and put the remains in a bag.[501]
Oops I Crapped My Pants – This ad for adult diapers not only parodies
Depends but also plays on the use of statements as product names (e.g. "
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!").[502]
The Original Kings of Catchphrase Comedy Tour — Ads for a live
standup comedy tour that's "coming soon to
bootleg DVD" and features comics who liberally rely on familiar
catchphrases or antics to stand out.
A second ad from
Season 37 has the same comedians, but replaces "Airhorn" Schultz with Dirk "Jack Knife" Cane (episode host
Charlie Day), a
Dane Cook-esque stand-up comic known for a rude finger gesture known as "The Jack-Knife".
A third ad from later in Season 37 (though cut-for-time after dress rehearsal) features episode host
Mick Jagger as Denny Cumberbatch, a flamboyant,
Russell Brand-esque Cockney British comedian whose punchline is "A bit weird, innit?".
Oxxon — The oil company blames the high production costs for their elaborately produced commercials as an excuse for high energy prices. A parody of
Exxon's "Energy for a Strong America" campaign ("Energy for a gullible America" is the closing tagline).[504]
Pan Am – Thanks to good security and low fares, it's a good time to fly because of their best offer: Fly to Brussels, Rome or London, you get to keep the plane you flew on.[506]
Pandora charms — For the woman "who makes the holidays merry and bright," the man in her life can give her assorted bracelet charms that acknowledge her various traits and interests (e.g. if she drinks coffee, a coffee cup; if she works as a nurse, a nurse's hat).[507]
Paperless Post — This e-invitation service isn't above nudging those who don't respond, thanks to features including Paperless Brick (thrown through a window), Paperless
Horse's Head, Paperles Severed Finger, Paperless Their Car Explodes, and for those who complain on social media about receiving the invite, Paperless Wild Dogs. The end of this cut-for-time ad from
Season 49 mentions it's sponsored by the
United States Postal Service ("Send a physical invite they can't pretend they didn't see").[508]
Paul Ryan for President —
Speaker of the House Ryan (
Taran Killam) makes this
presidential campaign ad to insist he's not running for the presidency ("I did not approve this message")… although if he were to do so, he'd run on a platform of cutting taxes, creating jobs, etc. A parody cut for time from an April 2016 episode.[509]
PAW Patrol — This ad starts out as a run-of-the-mill (and live-action) scene from the animated
Nickelodeon series, with Mayor Goodway (
Ego Nwodim) honoring the titular all-canine patrol for protecting Adventure Bay. But it's only an intro to an attack ad ("Paid for by cats") that endorses a recall election against Goodway. City Councilman Herb Tangier (episode host
Oscar Isaac) and "concerned citizens" in the ad imply that putting trust in a force consisting solely of 6 dogs "can't protect a city the size of
San Diego" from murders, carjackings, and other more serious crimes.[510]
Paxil—Second-Term Strength — An anti-depressant made especially for
Barack Obama (
Jay Pharoah) as he tries to deal with his second term as president and all of the scandals and failures (such as the Benghazi scandal, the IRS scandal, General Petraeus's sex scandal, and Obamacare). Also available in Republican Strength for John Boehner (
Taran Killam) dealing with the stress of Tea Party members protesting against Obama's administration.
Pelotaunt —
Peloton's fitness equipment features streaming video classes with positive encouragement. But for exercise buffs desiring results through negative reinforcement, this fitness bike provides such "patented passive aggressive technology" as video instructors offering withering judgement instead of corny speeches; video screens with
gaslighting statistics and camera views of your flabby butt; and comical music (specifically
the theme from Curb Your Enthusiasm) rather than motivating melodies. As one user (
Beck Bennett) puts it, "I feel mentally broken down, but, hey, I can see my abs."[511]
Penne alla Vodka — For every kind of celebration (graduations, weddings, funeral banquets, etc.), it's the pasta dish that's "loved by none, but tolerated by all."[512]
Pep Boys Genderflect campaign — Mirroring
Starbucks' "#RaceTogether" campaign, which encouraged conversations about race between its employees and customers, the auto parts chain promotes its own initiative to discuss LGBTQ and gender identity issues. The mechanics and parts people, however, voice opinions on the subject that can be considered politically incorrect, much to their customers' discomfort.[513]
Petchow Rat Poison – In this parody of misleading labels, Hank Petchow's (
Will Ferrell) brand of rat poison looks like dog food, is packaged in a 25 lb. bag with "PetChow" in large print, has a large photo of Petchow's dog, and the words "
rat poison" in the very fine print.[515]
Philadelphia Action Figures – The acclaimed
1993 legal drama inspires this set of figures kids can use to create Masters of the Universe-style playtime adventures. Also featured is a Philadelphia video game from
Sega Genesis (footage from Sega's port of
Galaxy Force II is used as a stand-in).[516]
Phil Hartman Creations — You, too, can slip into any different character when donning a wig, as
Hartman enjoys doing so at SNL ("You can change wigs as often as you change your mood!").[517]
The Phone Company – Episode host
Lily Tomlin appears as her grouchy, apathetic operator character
Ernestine, who relates the goings-on and imperfections of her equally indifferent employer, succinctly stating "We don't care. We don't have to. We're the Phone Company."[518]
Pier 1 Imports — In this
November 2002 parody,
Kirstie Alley (episode host
Nia Vardalos) tells stressed businesswoman
Rachel Dratch "you need shopping therapy" and forcefully drags her to Pier 1… excitable actions by the home decor chain's spokesperson that viewers are advised they should steer clear of ("Only you can protect yourself from Kirstie Alley").[519]
Pilates —
Chloe Fineman and
Molly Kearney walk into the dark, foreboding, and neon-hued world that is a
pilates class in this horror movie trailer "from the creator of Saw X and marketing director for
Alo" that features episode host
Kristen Wiig as a menacing yet cheerful instructor and her Palm Royale co-star
Kaia Gerber in a cameo.[520]
Pink Box —
Gilda Radner has felt so confident since buying this nameless, mysterious product in plain pink packaging (and a black triangle its only marking), and is vague when tennis partner
Laraine Newman questions what it is ("Is it welcomed protection against odor all year round?" Radner: "Possibly.")[521]
Pinx Period Underwear — Able to "hold up to 12 hours of
you know what," this super-absorbent, eco-friendly underwear can help women keep their
menstrual cycle discreet… even if animals can detect it (as happens to episode host
Amy Schumer in this
Season 48 ad).[522]
The Player-With-Yourself Club – Telly Savalas (
Phil Hartman) promotes a discount card for chronic masturbators.[523]
Pocket Pal — Businessman
Dan Aykroyd promotes "the last word in personal electronic systems," a device with "THOUSANDS of micro-processors, which electronically duplicate the sensing mechanisms of the
silver-haired bat" and warns users of possible
mid-air plane collisions… such as the one that puts Ackroyd and his fellow passengers into a panic ("We're gonna collide with a 747!!").[524]
Pongo! — A 4-legged, anamorphic pet that's "no mess, no bark, no bite," does very few tricks, is neither alive nor dead, and is no problem for parents who think their kids aren't ready to care for a real pet… until its unblinking eyes unnerve the mother of the family (
Sarah Sherman) in this holiday toy ad from
Season 49.[525]
Pornhub — A parody of the "we're here for you" outreach ads businesses produced early in the
COVID-19 pandemic, with various adults indulging on the
pornography website's content while sheltering at home.[526]
PottyPM — Promoting a device that allows the user to use the bathroom in the middle of the night without getting out of bed, this ad takes a turn halfway through when episode host
Jennifer Lopez asks whether it's also made for women, a question pitchman
Kyle Mooney responds to with clear unfamiliarity of the female anatomy.[527]
Pre-Chewed Charlie's – A steakhouse for people with
dentures, where the waiters come to your table and chew your food for you.[528]
Pregnant in Heels — A promo for a
Bravo reality series that follows Rosie Pope (
Abby Elliott), a maternity concierge who provides expectant mothers with anything they want, no matter how extreme. For example, client Shoshanna Bunt (episode host
Tina Fey) asks Rosie for a delivery room that's "total VIP" and a water birth that has
Diet Coke instead of water.[529]
The first, from the
Season 27 premiere, features
Jimmy Fallon and other
skateboarding dudes talking of using the creme in urban slang ("I'm about ta drop an H-BOMB on dis rizzoid!" "In whacked out cream or jiggity jiggity jelly!").[530]
A second ad, from
Season 41, finds
Beck Bennett discreetly offering Preparation H Advanced Gel to fellow hemorrhoid sufferer
Taran Killam, but later expecteds some sort of friendship from Killam in return, even if it means humiliating him in front of his fellow dinner guests ("Hey man, did that stuff I gave you help your butt?").[531]
President Barbie — The latest addition to the
Barbie doll line, complete with sunglasses, smart phone, and a
presidential seal-adorned podium. Much to
Mattel's chagrin, however, girls feel ambivalent about it ("Feels like she's trying too hard," says one). A May 2016 commentary on, as HuffPost puts it, "a generation so progressive that the president's gender is irrelevant."[532]
Press Conference Play Set — For kids who find watching TV
press conferences boring but want to get in on the act (or need to if they must discuss broken windows or not finishing their dinner), there's this play set that features a podium, microphone, background curtain, and other things that make a press conference a press conference.[533]
Privolin — Angela (episode host
Jennifer Aniston) constantly breaks the
fourth wall at a business meeting (much to her colleagues' disgust) to tell viewers about this prescription medication that treats her
genital herpes.[534]
Pug Wigs — Sonja and Damien Regulanté (
Cecily Strong and episode host
Jonah Hill) promote their specialty wig store where, with just the right kind of new hair style, any
pug can look more refined and handsome. Also promoted is Dana Simpson's (
Kenan Thompson) Boy Pug Beard & Goatee Salon.[535]
Puppy Uppers and Doggie Downers –
Gilda Radner complains to
Laraine Newman that her
dog Sparky has no energy, so Newman recommends Puppy Uppers. Later, when the dog is hyperactive (and quite a bit smaller), Radner complains that "Sparky's perked up a little too much", so Newman recommends dosing him with Doggie Downers.[537]
Q
Quarry —
Jane Curtin appears in this sketch about "the only [breakfast] cereal that's pure 100% rocks and pebbles", parodying the glut of "natural", earthy, and crunchy (deafeningly, in this case) granola-based cereals popular in the mid-1970s. The tag line: "Better tasting, 'cause it's mined".[538]
The Quotable Caddyshack — Episode host
Bill Murray, with a cameo assist from fellow Caddyshack star
Chevy Chase, promotes a leather-bound version of the frequently quoted film's script, suitable for reference in everyday life (e.g. job interviews, wedding vows).[539]
R
Racists for Trump — Airing in
March 2016 during the heat of the
Republican Party presidential primaries, this campaign ad features a cross section of "real Americans" expressing why they support candidate
Donald Trump, from his being "a winner" and "authentic" to being "the only [candidate] who's actually created jobs." Only later are these voters revealed, without subtlety, to be
Islamophobes, white supremacists, book burners, and outright Klansmen and Nazi sympathizers.[540]
The Raunchiest Miss Rita — A promo for a spinoff of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel finds Midge Maisel (episode host and Marvelous star
Rachel Brosnahan) inspiring club housekeeper Rita Mae Johnson (
Leslie Jones) to try
standup comedy; Rita and her very-blue material become a spotlight-stealing hit.[542]
ReaganCo. —
Charles Rocket demonstrates how you can show your patriotism by way of
Ronald Reagan wallpaper, cosmetics, and bathroom tiles.[543]
Rectrix — A "unique all-natural, fast-acting erectile dysfunction remedy" men can insert up their rectum.[545]
Red Flag Perfume — an ad promoting a
Chanel fragrance for women whose behavior and life choices belie their elegant appearance.
Jon Hamm is the narrator;
Kristen Wiig portrays the woman who has, among other things, lived in
Las Vegas for 11 years and previously dated a club promoter.[546]
The Regal Promenade Pavilion — A venue that "makes your wedding look like a wedding," featuring everything from exquisite decorations and elegant flatware to running-and-screaming 8-year-olds and stray balloons stuck in the air vent.[547]
Rick's
Model Ts — A "promotional film" for the very first
used car lot. Rick (
Mike O'Brien) claims to be crazy for selling cars at such low prices, but wife Daisy (episode host
Tina Fey) is clearly certifiably so ("I smashed a mirror 'cause I saw a woman in there who's crazy").[548]
Roach-Ex Plus — Cockroaches don't stand a chance against this bug killer, especially in the hands of a jealous husband who uses it on a roach (episode host
Don Cheadle) who had sex with his wife.[549]
Rock Bottom Kings — "However your (
problem gambler) friend bottoms out, make sure you cash out" with this
sports betting app that offers
prop bets on how they'll lose it all (e.g. betting his child's college fund on the coin toss, caught faking his own death when he uses his phone to gamble).[550]
Romano Tours — Joe Romano (episode host
Adam Sandler) promises beautiful tours of
Italy but can't promise the vacationer will improve personally ("If you're sad now, you might still feel sad there, okay?").[551]
Ron and Donna Lacatza's Formal Emporium — Ron and Donna (
Pete Davidson and
Sarah Sherman) offer everything your daughter needs for her big winter formal, from elegant dresses to corsets "straight from the garden"… and, if parents are worried about their daughter engaging in after-party sexual intercourse, their dweeb son Donovan (
Andrew Dismukes) as a date ("because Donovan wouldn't know when to start").[552]
Rosé Zone — Analogous to
NFL RedZone, this channel features only the trashiest moments from all of
reality television, so you don't have to sit through the not-so-raunchy parts ("It's blood lust for women").[95]
Rosetta Stone — Users praise the
CALL service in this 2013 ad, among them men who've picked up such
Thai language phrases as “How much?” “Is that for the whole night?” and “Oh my God, what have I done?”[553] The obvious allusions to
Thailand's
prostitution trade prompted an attempt by the country's
culture minister to have the spoof removed from
YouTube.[554]
Royal Deluxe II — This 1977 car commercial parody demonstrates the smoothness of the car's ride by having a
mohel perform a
circumcision in the back seat while the car is driven at 40
MPH down a bumpy road.[555]
Rubik's Grenade — A parody of
Rubik's Cube promotes what may be "the last puzzle you'll never solve".[556]
Russell & Tate Law Firm — This parody of ads for
"ambulance-chasing" attorneys promote a law firm whose partners are two intimidating black men with extensive "resumés" who repeatedly pledge to "git yo' money".[557]
Russell Stover Black History Heart-Shaped Box —
Valentine's Day coincides with
Black History Month, making February the perfect time for white men to show their Black girlfriends that they both love them and honor their culture through this set of candies molded in the visages of noted black figures (and
Bill Clinton).[558]
S
Safelite — In this
Season 43 parody of testimonials for the auto glass repair company, Safelite glass repair technician Ken (played by
Beck Bennett) makes repeated visits to a mother and daughter (
Aidy Bryant and
Melissa Villaseñor, respectively) to repair their
minivanwindshield. But it's discovered that Ken's been smashing the windshield each time, an obsession that leaves Mom infuriated. It also raised the real-life ire of Safelite, who called out the ad for bad taste on
Twitter the next day ("Our techs are our heroes. #notcool").[559] The ad aired on SNL only once, the episode of October 7, 2017. By the time the episode was rerun on NBC the next month, the ad was pulled completely, replaced in the full-length on-air and online episode replays by another filmed segment (a rap video featuring Bennett,
Kyle Mooney, and episode host
Gal Gadot called "The Last Fry") that had been "cut for time" from the original broadcast.[560]
Salon — "Flamboyant" beauty salon operator
David Spade pitches this hairspray that's activated by saying "salon" repeatedly (in the exaggerated French manner, with a sibilant 'S' and the accent on the first syllable). He teaches
Victoria Jackson how to say it "properly".[561]
Samuel Adams Jack-O Pumpkin Ale — "Real
Bostonians" sample this autumnal version of the popular Boston-brewed
beer. Most of them enjoy it… except for "Sean S." (episode host
Bill Burr), who thinks it tastes disgusting but isn't above having more generous samples ("It's kinda sweet n' [expletive], but, you know, if there's nothin' else to drink…").[562]
Santi-Wrap — Rather than placing toilet tissue on
Santa Claus' lap (as
Laraine Newman initially does here),
Dan Aykroyd recommends this "colorful, decorative and hygienic way to protect yourself" from germs part-time mall Santas carry, especially the jolly ol' elf in this setting (depicted by
John Belushi as a liquor-swilling vagrant).[563]
The Best of the First 20 Minutes of Saturday Night Live, which posits that the best moments of any 90-minute SNL episode come from its first 20, specifically those from the
Cameron Diaz-hosted season premiere on which this ad aired.[265]
The Best of
Horatio Sanz, which, since Sanz had joined the cast only a week earlier, is limited in content (e.g. walk-ons, goodnights) and has old skits from a
Dan Aykroyd compilation as filler.[564]
Schmitt's Gay — in this spoof of beer companies' targeting of specific
demographics, two housesitters (
Chris Farley &
Adam Sandler) are discouraged at the filthy condition of the backyard pool. When the water is turned on, however, it magically transforms into a sparkling clean pool filled with attractive, and presumably gay, men wearing bikini swim trunks, whom the housesitters merrily cavort with.[565]
Scrotox — A
Botox-like male enhancement medication that is shot directly into the
scrotum. As pitchman (and episode host)
Alec Baldwin puts it, "Aren't you ready for your prunes to turn into plums?"[566]
Settl — As its name implies, this
mobile datingapp is aimed at women willing to settle for dates and relationships with, as user
Sasheer Zamata puts it, "normal guys with characteristics I am now willing to overlook."[567]
Shake Weight Infomercial DVD — A DVD of what Salon called "TV's dirtiest ad" running "three times on a loop," and is disguised "in a variety of fake covers to keep your wife away."[568][569]
She's Got a D!%k — A trailer for a romantic comedy film starring episode host
Justin Timberlake, who falls for a woman (played by
Nasim Pedrad) who just happens to have a little extra plumbing downstairs.[570]
Shimmer — Married couple
Gilda Radner and
Dan Aykroyd argue over what this product is — she thinks it's a floor wax, he insists "It's a dessert topping, YOU COW!" Peacemaking
Chevy Chase steps in and demonstrates that "new Shimmer is both a floor wax and a dessert topping!"[571]
Shirt in a Can —
Tim Meadows gets upset after spilling blueberry cobbler on his dress shirt before a job interview ("DAMMIT!"). Fortunately there's this product he sprays on his person… even though it burns his skin and on-screen disclaimers include "not for prolonged contact" and "not for use on genital areas."[572]
Short & Curly — The shampoo men use to keep their
pubic hairs clean and shiny. Also promoted is Short, Dark, Curly, and Lovely, "but that, my friends, is strictly for the brothers".[573]
Skechers — On the week
Kanye West was denied entry into its headquarters, Skechers employees state the footwear company's "zero tolerance against
antisemitism," remarks of which the rapper and business mogul has expressed (which caused
Adidas to sever
its collaboration with West).[574] At the same time, though, they find it pretty cool that West even considered working with Skechers. But when one employee (played by
Bowen Yang) opines "I'm sure Kanye will find a morally dubious company to work with instead,” the ad cuts to
My Pillow CEO
Mike Lindell (
James Austin Johnson), a promoter of debunked
COVID-19 treatments and
election fraud claims, announcing his own company's new tie-in with West.[575]
Sleepy Boy 2000 —
Tim Kazurinsky purchases this do-it-yourself kit that, when assembled, creates a weapon that detects and destroys cars whose alarms go off in the middle of the night, enabling him to get a good night's sleep.[576]
Sofa King — This furniture store ad features a family of apparent Middle Eastern origins and thick accents who promote their inventory with the adjective "Sofa King" (as in, "It's Sofa King comfortable!"), but the term audibly comes across as if "so fucking" is said.[577]
Southwest Airlines — One month after cancelling over 15,000 flights nationwide (a
December 2022 crisis blamed mostly on its antiquated scheduling systems), Southwest seeks to make amends with new technology ("upgrading" to 2008
Dell computers), more employees (they all used to work at
Waffle House), and better conveniences (new lounges inside "any active
Starbucks"). But the onus is still on passengers, in particular a new baggage system that sorts luggage destinations by color (blue to
Charlotte, red to
Dallas). As air concierge
Heidi Gardner reminds customers, "You bought a Southwest ticket. You obviously don't respect yourself, so why should we?"[579]
Space Mistakes — Promoted as being on par with other cinematic space epics such as Gravity and The Martian, this film dramatically depicts what happens when astronauts makes rather innocuous mistakes in space (e.g. cracked helmets, unfastened seat belts at launch).[580]
Speed — Veteran SNL writer
Anne Beatts makes a rare on-screen appearance as a housewife able to happily multi-task, thanks to a diet pill you don't have to be overweight to use. Obtainable from your doctor, your neighbor's doctor, your college roommate's doctor, etc.[581]
Spitzer and Associates — Following his resignation as
Governor of New York after an
investigation revealed his money laundering and dalliances with high-priced call girls,
Eliot Spitzer (
Bill Hader) promotes in this
Season 33 cold open sketch his private legal practice that deals with embarrassing sex-related issues.[582]
Sproingo — This
erectile dysfunction treatment works in concert with the male body by making "a sensuous, audible tone" (i.e. a cartoonish spring sound effect) at the onset of erection.[585]
Spud Beer — "Filled with the full, rich flavor of potatoes", this beer is "brewed for people who can't taste the difference", in this case an electroshock subject (writer
Alan Zweibel). The end tagline: "Spud! The beer that made
Boise famous!"[586]
A Stab at Love —
Hallmark Channel ("where 'boo' means 'boyfriend'") presents "a horror film for the whole family" that finds New York writer Kelsey (
Chloe Fineman) returning to her home town of Autumn Hollow and
meeting cute with an old classmate (episode host
Nate Bargatze) who's also, admittedly and openly, a serial killer.[587]
St. Andrew's Center for Shivering Girls — For just $1 a day, you can provide "giant, broken-in men's sweatshirts for single girls [aged 18-29] who get cold easy" and have no boyfriend they can borrow from. Featuring
Heidi Gardner,
Ego Nwodim, and episode host
Megan Thee Stallion, this
Season 48 send-up spoofs charitable organizations that serve the poor, homeless, and others in dire need of basic necessities.[588][589]
Stanx — From the makers of
Spanx comes this undergarment that, rather than let embarrassing flatulence pass out of the body (as normal underwear would do), traps it inside the lining—even though the gas buildup creates an abnormally big bulge around the buttocks.[590]
Starbucks Verismo Home Brewing System — This parody of
Starbucks'
single-serve coffee maker recreates the experience of ordering at Starbucks, including getting the "order" wrong (it brews tea when you wanted latte), misspelling the name on the mug ("Amorfa" instead of "Martha"), and leaving broken stir sticks and sugar packs on the counter. The January 2013 ad, in its spoofing of Starbucks' baristas, generated calls of racism and classism in its depictions of both Verismo and Verquonica, the latter "a larger non-functioning machine" that only talks smack with Verismo about the user.[591][592]
Star Wars: The Force Awakens — "There is an alliance of heroes: the new… and the old." So says the start of this advance teaser for the film from
Season 40 that emphasizes the "old" part of that equation (e.g.
Han Solo losing his hearing,
Luke Skywalker using a light saber walker, handicapped plates on the Millenium Falcon).[594]
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Toys & Action Figures — Toys based on the film that are "great for everyone ages 6 and up — way up" (i.e. adult-age sci-fi geeks).[595]
State Farm Insurance — This
Season 48 parody of the "Jake from State Farm" ad campaign finds Jake (played here by episode host
Michael B. Jordan) helping a couple (
Mikey Day and
Heidi Gardner) with their insurance needs. But Jake's playful bond with the wife and kids frightens the husband to the point that he looks online for better rates from
GEICO and almost jumps off a bridge in a drunken stupor (only to be rescued by Doug and LiMu
Emu from
Liberty Mutual).[596]
Straight Male Friend — For gay men seeking friendships other than those with overly dramatic straight women, "low-effort, low-stakes" friendships with straight men (as
Bowen Yang exhibits here with episode host
Travis Kelce) require no emotional commitment or financial investment… and apart from occasional video game-related outbursts, results in no drama. A
Season 48 spoof of pharmaceutical ads ("available everywhere except therapy").[600]
Stunt Performers Association of America — This
PSA from
Season 46 finds a pentet of motion picture stunt performers recreating action moves from the safety of home, while encouraging fans to also take precautions during the
COVID-19 pandemic. The group includes a trio of action stunt artists (
Mikey Day,
Ego Nwodim, and
Chris Redd), and two stunt performers (
Aidy Bryant and
Kate McKinnon) whose forte is slapstick comedy in children's movies.[601]
Sub Shack — a parody of the
Subway ad campaign that featured
Jared Fogle, with customers of the fast-food restaurant gaining weight rather than losing it.[602]
The Sunday
National Enquirer — The supermarket
tabloid markets to those who want to spend their Sundays reading celebrity gossip instead of highbrow journalism in this spoof of subscription offers for The New York Times' Sunday editions.[603]
Super Bass-O-Matic '76 — This parody of
Ronco ads features
Dan Aykroyd pureeing raw
bass fish in a
blender, as well as
Laraine Newman delivering the happy pitch line, "Wow, that's terrific bass!"[604] Akroyd and Newman would reprise the ad (for the "Super Bass-O-Matic 2150") during SNL's
40th anniversary special in 2015.[605]
Super Feud — "When two of
South America's biggest singing stars have a feud, you're the winner." So says announcer
Don Pardo in introducing this "special TV offer" for a compilation album of music from Jorge Montenero (episode host
Patrick Swayze) and Raul Valendez (
Dana Carvey), who sing about their bitter rivalry (e.g. fan mail volume, plastic surgery claims) to the tune of "
Guantanamera."[606]
Suppressex — an anti-arousal medicine taken to prevent erections from occurring at inopportune moments.[607]
Swiffer Sleepers — Mom
Amy Poehler uses these
blanket sleeper-sized cleaning cloths to pick up dust and dirt wherever her kids crawl, roll, or jump around their house ("Who says sweeping floors can't be fun?").[608]
Swiftamine — A medication designed to fight bouts of
vertigo caused by the realization that you enjoy
Taylor Swift's music.[609]
Swill —
Bill Murray extols the qualities of this putrid mineral water "dredged from
Lake Erie", the packaging of which looks nearly identical to
Perrier. A highlight is the slow pouring of Swill from the bottle, set to the refrain of
Carly Simon's "
Anticipation", a song used to promote another slow-pouring food item at the time,
Heinz Ketchup.[610]
T
Taco Town — a restaurant parody of
Taco Bell, selling a new
taco with layer after layer of the outer crust, finished with a
Chicago-style pizza and blueberry pancake, and "deep-fried to perfection". "Pizza?"
Andy Samberg says of the product, "Now that's what I call a taco!"[611]
Tampax Secrets — Cut for time from
Phoebe Waller-Bridge's appearance as host in
Season 45, this ad shows Waller-Bridge,
Aidy Bryant, and
Melissa Villaseñor using these tampons that are hidden in containers made to look like less embarrassing items (dog poop, a dead mouse, etc.), all the better to not let bystanders know they have to get up and care for their period.[612]
Target — Two ads for the department store chain that has everything you need for
Thanksgiving:
A November 2016 ad highlights an array of food, cookware, and home decor… as well as a nice, spacious parking lot where you can sit in your car and gather your bearings if you're meeting your family for the first time since that month's
election.[613]
A November 2021 ad acknowledges that hosting your family "can be… a whole damn thing." For that, there are discounts on such items as Nate's Humane Tofurkey Loaf (to satisfy your sister's vegetarian boyfriend),
Applenoise-cancelling earbuds ("for when Grandpa weighs in on social issues"), and various wines and beers (to get through conversations about
cryptocurrency, recently deceased relatives, etc.).[614]
Tasty Toaster Tarts — Teenager Jason (episode host
Chance the Rapper) unloads a bevy of sugary treats from the kitchen cupboard for him and his friends (
Mikey Day,
Heidi Gardner, and
Melissa Villaseñor) to snack on after school. After Jason's friends inquire how his strict parents allowed him to stock up on so much sweet stuff, they notice suspicious signs (e.g. bloodstains, a fridge wrapped in duct tape) that Jason may have done something rash. All is good, however, when Jason produces this
Pop Tarts-like product (its tagline: "Keeps Kids Happy").[615]
Tayster's Choice Spermicidal Jelly — A trio of ads spoofing the
Taster's Choice campaign centered on a
couple who have a slow-burning romance over the coffee. Here, a woman (episode host
Sharon Stone) asks her neighbor (
Dana Carvey) to borrow the
spermicide being advertised.[616]
Teacher PSA — Sponsored by
OnlyFans and timed with the end of the school year, this
May 2024 PSA finds teachers (various SNL castmembers and episode host
Maya Rudolph) surrendering and saying "y'all won" to the pupils who still don't know how to read, pull humiliating pranks, get into fights, and have forced one teacher (played by
Ego Nwodim) to create a new word: TSIDDAHN (which means "Sit down!").[617]
Tech-Pack – At the airport,
Jason Sudeikis shows harried fellow traveler
Kristen Wiig a new wearable pouch system that can hold and activate one's electronic devices (mp3 players, PDAs, cellphones, etc.) with a joystick… but also tends to scare other passengers because of its uncanny resemblance to a
suicide belt. The closing tag line: "You'll be blown away."[618]
Teddy Bear Holding a Heart –
Will Forte gives sweetheart
Amy Poehler this "perfect way to say 'our love is eternal.'" Even though it's literally a teddy bear holding a heart (it's still attached to the box it came in), and is available anywhere ("Book stores,
Hallmark's, drug stores,
Wal–Mart,
7-Eleven, I'm guessing wherever you buy milk."), Poehler accepts it and shows it off as if it were expensive jewelry. An exquisitely-lensed spoof of ads for jewelers (e.g.
De Beers) and retailers who heavily promote their wears as the perfect way to show true love on
Valentine's Day.[619]
Teens Raising Awareness About Awful Parent Drivers (T.R.A.A.A.P.D.) — Teenager Samantha Samuels (episode host
Taylor Swift) states in this PSA that while texting and driving by teens is dangerous, parents' own behaviors behind the wheel can be worse, i.e. when Mom and Dad (
Kristin Wiig and
Jason Sudeikis) drive while lecturing, balancing hot coffee, giving
the birds-and-bees talk, etc.[620]
Teeny Tiny Statement Pin — Microscopic badges and buttons that express messages on political and social issues (or just vague imagery), so VIPs can make a statement while still letting their
red carpet looks speak louder.[621]
Testicules —
Andy Samberg and his scent turn lots of heads in this cut-for-time fragrance ad parody from
Season 39, thanks to this "cologne for '
down there.'"[622]
Texxon – The petroleum conglomerate was featured twice in
Season 8:
A full-length ad touts Texxon's philanthropic efforts, i.e. funding community centers, medical clinics, and job training programs. But the ad degenerates into thinly veiled threats that those benefits will vanish if legislative and regulatory attempts don't go their way. "Do what we say," they warn, "and nobody gets hurt."[623]
Texxon was also sponsor of
Ted Koppel's (
Joe Piscopo) coverage of the Buckwheat assassination ("Life goes on, and Texxon is there"). When Buckwheat's death is announced, the Texxon tagline receives an add-on: "Life goes on, and Texxon is there. Because Buckwheat would have wanted it that way."[624]
That's Not Yogurt! — A spoof of "
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!" ads and the
TCBY frozen-yogurt chain.[c] After eating the product, a couple (
Victoria Jackson and
Kevin Nealon) becomes very concerned about what the mysterious product actually is, but the coy announcer refuses to tell them. "From the makers of Those Aren't Olives!"[625]
Them Trumps — A promo for a show "from the producers of Empire" that ponders what would happen if
Donald Trump and his family were black. Centering on
President "Darius Trump" (
Kenan Thompson), the tease finds Darius supremely confident in the face of
criminal investigation and
sexual scandal (“They can't lock me up!”), but quickly capitulating to the consequences when the feds storm in (“And even though I may be black—” “Freeze, Trump! You're under arrest!” “Yeah, that sounds about right.”).[626]
Thomas Peepers Insurance — An insurance company that keeps an eye on their clients' safety and well-being — literally, as evidenced by agent
Bill Hader peeping through the windows of one client's home (only to be caught by spotlights and police sirens).[629]
Tim and Meat's One-Stop Rocky Horror Shop —
Tim Curry and
Meat Loaf (both appearing as themselves) are proprietors of a store with props and costumes based on and to wear and use for midnight screenings of the 1975 cult film The Rocky Horror Picture Show.[630]
Timecrowave — In this
infomercial spoof, inventor Gram Lampton (episode host
Alec Baldwin) promotes a
microwave oven that sends fully cooked food back in time to when you knew you were hungry — despite a self-evident risk of
temporal paradoxes arising.[631]
Tiny Ass Bag — Designer purses, luggage, backpacks, and carry-on handbags that are just the right size if all you want to put in them are one
AirPod, one
Altoid, or secrets "and that's it!"[632]
Tinyballs — A trailer for a film "from the makers of Moneyball" about a
Billy Beane-like GM (
Taran Killam) who, instead of using
sabermetrics to build a better baseball team, relies on a suspicious-looking man (episode host
Ben Stiller) to inject strength — literally, through
steroids — into his inept club, unhealthy side effects notwithstanding.[633]
Toilet Death Ejector — This ad posits that the greatest embarrassment of senior citizens is being found dead on the toilet. As pitched by episode host
John Mulaney, this mechanized device helps alleviate those fears. If the user feels they're about to die, they can press a button on the toilet, which projects them through the air and onto their bed. The device not only flushes the toilet automatically, but also drops a book next to the user (to let those discovering their corpse believe they died wise).[634]
Tortumatic – A device
Charles Rocket demonstrates as the ultimate way to show others that you can take the pain… by getting punched repeatedly by a number of boxing gloves and slamming his hand with a mallet.[636]
Totino'sPizza Rolls — a series of commercials airing over three straight
Super Bowl weekends in the mid-2010s focusing on a dutiful housewife (
Vanessa Bayer) serving Pizza Rolls to "my hungry guys" watching the big game in the living room.
The first ad, from 2015, promotes the "Totino's Super Bowl Activity Pack," featuring games and toys specifically made "for grown women ages 5 and up" (e.g. puzzles, play money, miniature top) that the wife can play to keep herself occupied in the kitchen while the hubby (episode host
J. K. Simmons) and the guys watch the game.[637]
The second ad, from 2016, starts as a straight-up Super Bowl-themed Pizza Rolls ad, complete with the "hungry guys" reacting to the big game in unison. But the wife discovers that the TV isn't even on (it's just a blank screen), and when she fearfully grabs a pair of scissors for self-defense, the guys turn around all at once, revealing icy stares with solid black eyes. The end-of-ad twist: It's actually a promotion for the
recently revived TV series The X-Files.[638]
The third ad, from 2017, gets really steamy: When a sister of one of the guys (played by episode host
Kristen Stewart) comes into the kitchen to help, the wife finds herself attracted to the woman, and the two engage in torrid intercourse, using the Pizza Rolls on their bodies and speaking in French, thus giving real meaning when the husband asks if they're "making out" in the kitchen.[639]
Tourism Board of
Africa — This
Season 46 ad positions the continent as "the #1 [travel] destination for divorcees of a certain age." The live skit features background beach views of strapping, shirtless men; suggestive
double entendres ("The mountains, the ranges… the rhythm, the pounding"); and testimonials/invitations from a trio of divorced women played by
Kate McKinnon,
Heidi Gardner, and episode host
Adele (who
breaks into giggles several times).[640]
Transportation Security Administration — Feeling lonely and wanting a little "human interaction" during the holiday season? How about going through a TSA airport security check, where you can receive a physical pat-down if you refuse full-body scanning ("It's our business to touch yours"). A
Season 36 parody of suggestive ads for escort services.[641]
Tremfalta — A medication that treats
irritable bowel syndrome by slowing the digestive process, which increases the intensity of bowel movements. This is evidenced by the literal stink left by a mother (episode host
Carey Mulligan) in the restroom of her son's school music recital after taking Tremfalta, much to the disgust of janitor
Kenan Thompson and principal
Aidy Bryant.[642]
Tres Equis — Two
Season 38 parodies of
Dos Equis beer and its "Most Interesting Man in the World" campaign find "The Son of the Most Interesting Man in the World" (episode host
Joseph Gordon-Levitt) living large ("He has multiple parody Twitter accounts"), impressing the ladies ("He can make a woman cringe, just by entering a room"), and enjoying beer that's "one equis better than my dad's beer, because he was never there for me." It leads to a father-son spat with The Most Interesting Man himself (played by
Jason Sudeikis) in the second ad.[643][644]
Tressant Suprème –
Kelly Ripa spoofs the numerous hair coloring ads in which she has appeared. Here, Ripa prefers Tressant Suprème because it contains "just a little bit of
crack cocaine", thus explaining her well-known "peppy" persona.[645]
Trilocaine – a scalp-itch medication with extremely disturbing side effects (e.g. "90% of users experience an instantaneous and horrifying
sleep paralysis containing a bleak vision of mortality").[646]
Triopenin — Airing during the first Weekend Update, this ad promotes an
arthritis medication in a bottle that's virtually impossible to open.[647][81]
Triple-Trac Razor — When this ad was written for SNL's first episode, men's razors hadn't progressed past two blades. But this three-blade razor (the first two grab the whisker, the third actually makes the cut) promises to leave men's faces "as smooth as a billiard ball." The bet here is that "you'll believe anything" you see in razor ads.[648]
Trump Addicts of America — Supporters of
Joe Biden in the
2020 presidential election express clear disdain for incumbent
Donald Trump ("He's historically bad for the country," says one). But they're also concerned that if Biden wins, the next four years will feel different (i.e. less angrier) without an endless stream of bad news and worse actions from Trump and his
administration. The closing tag line: "You know [Trump's] bad for you, but it's hard to imagine life without him."[650]
T.T. and Mario — Two ads promoting CD collections of the rauncy yet romantic song stylings of a 1970s-era
Peaches and Herb-type singing duo played by
Maya Rudolph and
Kenan Thompson):
The Best of T.T. and Mario (
Season 30), featuring "Let Me See Them," "Booty So Tight," and other songs that describe bizarre and gross sexual acts.[651]
Married Too Long (Booty in the Rearview) (cut for time from
Season 49), which features tunes about wanting to make love at the most inopportune of times, among them "An Appointment for Sex," "Let's Take a Bath Together," and "Boom" (noted as being from the soundtrack to Oppenheimer but actually played in theater lobbies after the film ends).[652]
Turlington's Lower Back
Tattoo Remover – a product that, "when applied once every hour for 72 straight hours", slowly burns away unwanted lower back tattoos. "That tingling means it's working!" Tagline: "Because it won't be cool forever".[653]
Turtle Shirt — Men's shirts that are made from the same materials as a turtle's shell, allowing the wearer to hide from unwanted or embarrassing situations.[654]
Twinings Extreme — "An English athlete needs an English sports drink," hence this line of
tea designed to help assure peak athletic performance. Flavors include "English Breakfast XL" (to refuel), "Darjeeling Octane" (to replenish), and "Earl Grey RX" (to recover and "be at my best for 3 to 5 days of a
cricket match"). Episode host
Emma Thompson is featured in this cut-for-time ad from 2019.[655]
Uncle Jemima's Pure Mash Liquor — With references to
Uncle Remus in
Disney's Song of the South, this subtle barb at products that perpetuate
racial stereotypes finds
Aunt Jemima's husband (
Tracy Morgan) promoting liquor that's "more fun than pancakes" thanks to its 95% alcohol content by volume ("That means you get f***ed up for less money!").[657]
Undercover Office Potty —
Beck Bennett needs to use the bathroom but is facing a big work deadline. Luckily, he can use "the only toilet that looks like a lamp, so you can go whenever you want and no one has to know." That is, until his colleagues become suspicious about multiple lamps on his desk… and notice the stench coming from them.[658]
Under Underground Rock Festival — A series of commercials which poke fun at the crazy promotions at alternative concerts, crazy special guests, as well as the extremes people will go to defy conformity. Done in the style of
Gathering of the Juggalos infomercials.[659]
United Tings of Aubrey — Are you a woman who has dated, or even interacted with,
Drake? Has the musician's mention of you in one of his songs, or at least his including your name in an album interlude, left you exploited? Then join "the thousands of Drake's exes and
shawties" seeking legal recompense.[660]
United Way with
Peyton Manning – Manning (as himself) appears in this 2007 spoof of self-serving philanthropic public-service ads by popular athletes. Documentary-style, Manning is shown "mentoring" children; what ensues is Manning physically and verbally abusing the kids during a football game (hitting kids in the back of the head with a football and sending one of them to sit in a Port-A-Let for messing up a play), and afterwards teaching his charges how to break into an SUV, exploiting a little girl to get a date with an attractive woman, showing kids a tabloid magazine featuring
Angelina Jolie, drinking beer in front of them, and admitting that he would kill anyone who snitches on him.[661]
University of Westfield — An ad for an
online college that teaches students how to avoid discussing going to an online college. As one student (portrayed by
Nasim Pedrad) states, Westfield taught her "that going to an Internet college is not a thing that would make people want to hire me."[662]
UPS —
Bill Hader appears as ad man/actor Andy Azula in this ad that makes fun of the prevalence of Azula's ad campaign for the delivery service… as well as his hairstyle.[664]
Urigro — parody of
male enhancement medications; a pill that gives its male users an absurdly long and strong stream of urine.[665]
Urkel — Just as it will be giving The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air a
dramatic reboot,
Peacock promotes "the next 90s show about the Black experience to be given a serious, high-stakes remake" — Family Matters, with lovelorn genius
Steve Urkel (
Chris Redd) shown as coming from a broken home (deceased father, alcoholic mother) and, after threatening another teen with a gun ("Should I do that?"), receiving reassurance from Chicago cop Carl Winslow (
Kenan Thompson) that his own family can provide him a positive environment ("Family [expletive] matters").[666]
V
Valtrex – An ad for an
antiviral drug that treats
genital herpes, an infection wife
Amy Poehler was surprised to learn she had despite being in a (supposedly) faithful relationship with her husband (episode host
Alec Baldwin), who insists he learned form "a recent scientific study" that some undetectable forms of herpes remain dormant in women for years. The closing tagline: "Ask your husband if you need Valtrex. He may know more than your doctor. Doctors don't know everything."[667]
VeritasUltrasound HD – Instead of a tiny monitor, the ultrasound is displayed on a widescreen HD television. It even has options to display a football helmet on the fetus (for dads-to-be missing a Sunday football because they're accompanying the wife to see the ultrasound).[668]
Verizon 4G LTE — Customer
Fred Armisen is left confused by salesperson
Bill Hader's bizarre explanations of how Verizon's high-speed data service will work on a very wide variety of smart devices.[669]
Virgania Horsen — Two ads from 2008 find Virgania (
Kristen Wiig) offering her services to those who want to avoid long lines, rude employees, and even terrorists:
Virgania Horsen's Hot Air Balloon Rides — Skip the
TSA line and let Virgania and her
hot air balloon get you to your destination.[670]
Virgania Horsen's Pony Express — You don't need the
Post Office when horse-riding Virgania says, "Just give me your mail, and tell me where you want it to go!"[671]
Voting PSAs — Two
public service announcements that have encouraged people to cast ballots in upcoming elections:
One "cut for time" PSA, posted online the weekend before the
2020 presidential election and in the same vein as the 2018 Democratic Party ad (see above), finds various Americans communicating trust in the electoral process, contentment in voting early… and preparing for the worst, as evidenced by the likes of
Kyle Mooney buying a crossbow;
Beck Bennett adding a safe door to his pantry;
Heidi Gardner unsuccessfully sneaking across the border into
Canada; and
Kate McKinnon stealing all the contraceptives from a pharmacy. There is no specific sponsor attached (the official title is "Democracy PSA"), but the ad's closing message is clear: "Vote. Like, soon."[672]
A PSA from
Season 47's finale ("paid for by Stupid People") features a wide variety of Americans who admit they're not too bright (says
Aidy Bryant, "The computer screen said '
prove you're not a robot.' And I cut myself.") but know that low IQs should not hinder anyone from voting ("Because stupid people vote too").[673]
W
Wade Blasingame — You wouldn't want a human being humping your leg or digging up your lawn, so why would you let a dog do the same? Luckily, Blasingame (
Will Ferrell) — "the attorney, not the
ballplayer" — specializes in taking dogs to court over their rambunctious behavior. Also featuring
Chris Parnell as Wade's brother/associate and the human simulating bad canine behavior in the ad's dramatizations.[674]
Waterbed Warehouse — Owner Dom (episode host
Martin Freeman) lets wife Janine (
Aidy Bryant) be the prominent face and musical voice of "Upper South Dakota's premier waterbed distributor."[675]
Wells for Boys – For introspective little boys who simply long to be understood, this item from
Fisher-Price's "Sensitive Boy" collection provides young lads a place for reflection, contemplation and the sharing of secrets; though Dad (
Bobby Moynihan) may be puzzled and other boys may not get it, Mom (episode host
Emma Stone) appreciates how her son can benefit from it.[676]
We're Just Friends – Short shorts for men (
Jason Sudeikis and
Andy Samberg) whose close friendship is often mistaken for a gay relationship.[677]
Where You're Going — A
Season 11 parody of beer and champagne ads (namely
Michelob) marketed to the
yuppie demographic. Here,
Jon Lovitz,
Randy Quaid,
Damon Wayans,
Anthony Michael Hall and others are shown enjoying the good life and their financial successes… until the ad becomes "a message from Almighty God" at the very end, when they're burning in
Hell for living avaricious and spiritually bankrupt lives ("You're going to burn, no doubt about it").[678]
White Christmas — A trailer for "the first Black holiday movie for a white audience," complete with a
Madea-like character (episode host
Paul Rudd).[679]
White Men Can Trump — "From
Newsmax Studios and the writer of Like Mike" comes this film centered on Gorodn Dwyer (episode host
Shane Gillis), a loser in basketball and life, who is gifted a pair of
Donald Trump-branded
gold sneakers. The real-life shoes (which were released in February 2024, the same month of this parody) physically and psychologically bring out the "inner Trump" in Gordon: He still performs poorly on the court, at the office, and in bed, yet he can still constantly claim he's the best to the point that others start believing his bravado.[680]
Wilson Countersink Flanges and Dorry Flanges – Spokesman
Phil Hartman talks up these technically complex industrial supplies, with
Rob Schneider and
Chris Farley appearing as workmen.[681]
Wilson Trap Doors – Unlike other office trap doors that malfunction or not work when you want them to, "patented dual-firing mechanism" allows this trap to work when businessman
Jon Lovitz wants to do away with unwanted colleagues, clients, or other guests to his office. The closing tag line: "With Wilson, it's outta sight."[682]
Wing Pit — For
Super Bowl Sunday, the restaurant can deliver to your door party-size
chicken wing and
buffalo wing platters ranging from modestly-sized trays (one- or two-dozen count) to orders literally in the hundreds or thousands (and accompanied by equally gargantuan-sized sauce arrangements).[683]
Winston-McCauley Funeral Home — A mortuary service that assures "care, compassion, dedication"… and that their employees will never have
sex with dead bodies.[684]
Woomba – a self-operating electronic
feminine hygiene product that knows when women should use it, whether they want to or not; a parody of the
Roomba automatic vacuum system.[685]
The Worst of Soul Train — Coughy Robinson (
Bobby Moynihan) hosts this
Time Lifeinfomercial promoting a DVD collection of the least memorable acts to have performed on the long-running dance & music program Soul Train.[686]
Wrangler Open Fly Jeans — Finally, jeans with no-fly so that your parts are always camera-ready, as pitched by
Brett Favre (played by
Jason Sudeikis)[687]
Wrangler Peekaboos — Jeans designed for men to show a little bit of butt cleavage.
Will Ferrell appears in this ad cut for time from his November 2019 episode as host.[688]
X
Xanax for Gay Summer Weddings — A new version of the
anxiolytic designed for heterosexuals suffering anxiety over attending elaborate gay weddings.[689]
Xentrex — An ad for "the strongest male enhancement drug on the market," despite its dangerous ingredients, serious side effects, and the strong urging of doctors not to take it (as episode host
Dwayne Johnson recounts in this ad).[690]
XIEMU — "
Fast fashion from China" for less. How so cheap? "Don't worry about it," the voiceover insists, because it's not made by forced labor, only by "happy [and paid] workers" who do "quality craftsmanship" (even as the clothes fall apart on the models).[691]
Y
Yard-a-Pult — This product allows you to launch unwanted trash, deceased pets, etc. over your fence rather than going to the time and expense of disposing of them properly.[692]
Your Hometown Board of Tourism — Why spend the holidays in someplace exotic like
Hawai'i when this 2012 ad reminds you that your hometown is a more affordable destination. There's the "four-star accommodations of your childhood home," activities such as cleaning out your parents' garage, and exotic attractions such as your old high school.[693]
Your House — Looking to get away but can't go anywhere during the
COVID-19 pandemic? This amped-up digital exclusive, filmed in
Spring 2020, promotes your home as the perfect vacation destination. Visit exciting attractions such as your living room, enjoy convenient amenities including weak
Wi-Fi, and dine on whatever expiried food is left in your refrigerator.[694]
Yum Bubble Genital Herpes Gum — A fruit-flavored
bubble gum that controls genital herpes.[696]
Z
Zillow — Wanna spice up "playtime"? Browsing listings on the real estate website can be your next
sexual fantasy… which ends once you click on "Contact Agent" and a nasally-voiced
RE/MAX rep (
Cecily Strong) wants to schedule a tour. A sensually-filmed ad from
Season 46.[697]
Z-Shirt — Its name sums up what the product is: A 1990s hip-hop-style neon shirt with a "Z" on the front. As shirt-wearer
Tim Robinson exclaims, "This ain't no t-shirt, it's a Z-Shirt!" The comedy comes when his buddy (episode host
Kevin Hart) goes through the alphabet and asks, "Oh! Wait! I'm confused! Is that an A-Shirt?" "Is it a B-Shirt?" etc.[698]
^The original airing of The Midnight Coterie of Sinister Intruders misspelled Anjelica Huston's first name as "Angelica," while the online version and all TV reruns have the correct spelling
^TCBY's acronymic name was originally supposed to stand for "This Can't Be Yogurt!" but was later revised to stand for "The Country's Best Yogurt".