Saturday Night Live featured one of its most well-known characters, the Church Lady, in a sketch that aired on February 27, 1988, during Season 13. The segment titled Church Chat: Satan was selected as part of NBC’s 50 Seasons in 50 Days tribute leading up to the 50th-anniversary celebration of SNL on February 16, 2025.
The retrospective was recently highlighted in an NBC Insider article published on February 4, 2025. In the sketch, Dana Carvey’s Church Lady — whose real name is Enid Strict — explored the idea of “Satanic Panic” while interviewing two televangelists portrayed by Al Franken and Phil Hartman. Carvey’s recurring character questioned the moral downfall of her guests:
“Well, isn’t that special?” and “Could it be…SATAN?” were her commonly used phrases.
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The episode was hosted by Judge Reinhold and aired shortly after the real-life scandal involving televangelist Jimmy Swaggart. The sketch revisited current events at the time, with Franken playing Pat Robertson and Hartman portraying a tearful Swaggart. The Church Lady attempted to lift their spirits by ending the segment with a sing-along.
Saturday Night Live's Church Lady faces televangelists in an interview
In the February 27, 1988 sketch of Saturday Night Live, Enid Strict hosted her talk show “Church Chat,” inviting two controversial televangelists to reflect on their personal scandals. Phil Hartman portrayed Jimmy Swaggart, who at the time had just made headlines for his public apology after being caught with a s*x worker.
“I’m not a victim, I’m a sinner!” Hartman mimicked Swaggart’s tearful confession.
Al Franken played Pat Robertson, a televangelist turned presidential candidate, who defended Swaggart by blaming politics.
“Church Lady, it was not Satan, it was George Bush. He’s behind the whole thing. Church Lady, I think you’re being a little tough on Jimmy. He is a political victim of the Vice President!” Robertson said.
Despite their efforts to explain the scandals, the Church Lady held firm to her belief that Satan was responsible. She introduced her iconic phrase with dramatic flair: “Could it be…SATAN?” The sketch mixed satire with real events of the week and concluded with a tone shift.
Instead of continuing her usual critique, the Church Lady led both guests in a sing-along of If You’re Happy And You Know It, closing the sketch.
Dana Carvey’s Church Lady remains part of Saturday Night Live history
Dana Carvey played Enid Strict — the Church Lady — 18 times between 1986 and 1990, and the character became one of the show’s most recognized creations. Her appearances extended beyond her initial run, with Carvey returning to Saturday Night Live for cameos and special episodes over the years.
The NBC Insider article noted that the Church Lady’s most recent appearance was in a cold open from season 50, which aired on December 7, 2024. In this episode, she interviewed public figures like Matt Gaetz (played by Sarah Sherman), Hunter Biden (David Spade), and Juan Soto (Marcello Hernández).
This version of “Church Chat” showed how the format continued to be used to address current figures and topics, decades after its original debut. Dana Carvey joined SNL in 1986 and stayed until 1993. He hosted the show four times and returned for several special segments.
Carvey's portrayal of the Church Lady has been revisited in documentaries and specials reflecting on the show’s legacy. As part of the 50 Seasons in 50 Days celebration, NBC chose this particular sketch to represent season 13, marking its lasting place in Saturday Night Live history.
Fans can stream this episode and others on Peacock as part of the full Saturday Night Live archive.
