Saturday Night Live season 50 episode 18 recap: Mad Men star makes hosting debut while Lizzo returns for fourth performance

Saturday Night Live season 50 released episode 18 on April 12, 2025, featuring Jon Hamm as host and Lizzo as musical guest. Although Hamm had previously appeared in 14 cameos, this marked his first time officially hosting the show. Lizzo returned for her fourth musical performance on the SNL stage, following her last appearance as both host and performer in 2022.

This episode featured a mix of live sketches, musical performances, and a monologue that highlighted Jon Hamm’s history with the show. Sketches included a parody business news segment for working-class viewers, a courtroom spoof, and a game show satire. Moreover, Lizzo performed two songs from her upcoming album.

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Episode overview of Saturday Night Live season 50: Jon Hamm appears as host, and Lizzo returns to perform

Jon Hamm's first hosting appearance

The episode began with a cold open sketch, followed by the traditional introduction of the host. The camera then shifted to center stage. Jon Hamm opened the episode by addressing the audience:

"I am so honored to be back here hosting. This is my fourth time. But it's been a minute. The last time I hosted was October 2010."

Although he had previously hosted Saturday Night Live three times, Hamm noted that it had been 15 years since his last time leading the show. He highlighted his many cameos since then, saying:

"I've still been on the show a lot... I've made 14 cameos."

During his monologue, Hamm said that "nothing beats" walking out unexpectedly and receiving a loud reaction from the audience. He later referenced a humorous recurring line from Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels:

"Making a cameo is even more special than being the host, which is something Lorne's told me many times, always right before he loses service going into the tunnel."

The monologue was interrupted by a cameo from another cast member, Kieran Culkin, leading to a brief exchange in which Jon Hamm claimed Mad Men is "better than Succession." Hamm concluded by stating that the show would be exciting since Lizzo was "here."

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Check to Check Business News: Another sketch from the episode

In one of the evening’s sketches, Jon Hamm and Ego Nwodim portrayed anchors on a fictional business news channel designed for people living paycheck to paycheck. Hamm’s character, Kenneth, stated that he purchased his suit at Kohl’s, setting the tone for a segment focused on practical financial commentary.

While traditional business news covers economic indicators like the bond market, Kenneth clarified:

"I'm not. And I'll tell you why. Because I don't know what that is."

Instead of stock tips, the anchors offered relatable advice, including a return to using bar soap. Kenan Thompson joined the sketch as a correspondent and contributed consumer advice, explaining that he had stopped eating Captain Crunch and switched to Sergeant Munch because it’s “lower rank, lower price.”

The sketch also included a recurring feature called the "Side Hustle Minute," which profiled Funko dolls as a supplementary income idea.

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Lizzo’s fourth musical guest performance

Lizzo appeared on Saturday Night Live for the fourth time as a musical guest. She performed a medley of her recent singles Love in Real Life and Still Bad from her upcoming fifth studio album. During the performance, she wore a shirt that displayed the word "Tarrified."

The artist had previously posted a video on Instagram ahead of the episode’s taping, showing herself dancing in Studio 8H, previewing her return to the show. Her earlier SNL appearances included hosting and performing in 2022 and serving as a musical guest in two prior seasons.

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New episodes of Saturday Night Live air Saturdays at 11:30 PM ET on NBC and Peacock.