Was Michael Phelps on an SNL skit as himself?

The year was 2008, US swimmer Michael Phelps had dominated the pools at the Olympics and had firmly cemented his place amongst the greats. He was a household name in the United States and across the globe.

So, not surprisingly, he made his Saturday Night Live (SNL) debut that year. For the unversed, SNL is a sketch comedy and variety late-night television show. In it, actors, comedians, and artists get together to perform short and hilarious skits. Generally, the guests play different roles in these skits. Michael Phelps, however, seemed to play himself.

Phelps performed in a couple of different skits for the show, one of which was titled 'Eat Up'. The skit poked fun at his reported diet of consuming 12,000 calories every day.

Michael Phelps tried his acting chops in SNL

It began with a voiceover which asks a man and woman if they are tired of counting calories or eating small portions. Michael Phelps then appears on the screen, saying that one thing he never sacrificed for his Olympic medals was a good meal.

"I had to sacrifice a lot to earn eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, but one thing I never sacrificed was a good meal, and neither should you. Introducing the Michael Phelps Diet. It’s the only diet that lets you eat whatever Michael Phelps eats."

He stood behind a table filled with burgers, hot dogs, ham, a big roast, onion rings, pies, a big jar of Nutella amongst several other items. Phelps further added what one could have for lunch:

"A pound of pasta, three Cuban sandwiches smothered in mayonnaise, a fried turkey stuffed with molasses, a barrel of Halloween candy, and to wash it all down, a pitcher of Hollandaise sauce."

The final punchline came when Michael Phelps said:

"You can eat whatever you like, as long as it adds up to 12,000 calories a day. Can you believe it? It’s that simple."

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"I’m probably more nervous doing this than I was swimming in Beijing" - Michael Phelps on SNL debut

Hosting Saturday Night Live (SNL) is an extremely daunting task and it takes special courage to be up for it. Naturally, Michael Phelps was admittedly more nervous to make his SNL debut than swimming at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"I’m probably more nervous doing this than I was swimming in Beijing, I’ll tell you that!"

To prepare for the appearance, Phelps took advice from numerous people. The first of the lot was former SNL cast member JB Smoove. Phelps told the People magazine what the comedian said:

"He said just be myself, relax, have fun. He also said if you don’t like something, speak up. Always voice your opinion. That’s some of the best advice that I’ve been given so far."

Michael Phelps in the SNL skit [Image: YouTube screenshot]

Phelps also approached then-power couple Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore for some insights. He revealed the advice he got from them:

"I’ve been playing phone tag and email tag with Ashton Kutcher. When we were in LA, I met Demi, and she said, 'If you need any help, let me know!' So I reached out to get some more opinions on everything."

As for his own comic muses and inspiration, he said that he loved Adam Sandler and Chris Farley and that his favorite film was 'Tommy Boy'.

"When you think about the people who’ve walked on that stage, the names are endless. The list is so long. It really truly is an honor for me to have this experience. My circle of friends are like, ‘If there’s one thing that you could do,’ and it’s like, ‘Dude, I’m hosting SNL. That’s one of the coolest things I could do!’ So I’m really looking forward to hosting the show on Saturday."

Historically, athletes have never fared well on SNL. Although Phelps' debut was a little awkward to the viewers, it is still remembered today.