SNL’s Heidi Gardner Unpacks Beavis and Butt-Head Sketch, Reveals When She First Saw Ryan Gosling and Mikey Day in Full Character
Heidi Gardner faced Beavis and Butt-Head and lived to tell the tale.
In a new interview, the Saturday Night Live standout — who rarely breaks character during live sketches — unpacks her viral outburst and reveals when she first saw Ryan Gosling and Mikey Day in full prosthetics.
“They were in costume for the earlier rehearsals on Saturday with their wigs and outfits but not the prosthetics,” Gardner tells Vulture. “The dress rehearsal was when the prosthetics made their debut — the noses and the mouths. I didn’t know about Mikey’s exposed gums and teeth.
“When I looked and saw Mikey in the dress rehearsal, I lost it,” she recalls. “I was shocked. I’m thinking about it right now and laughing. I recovered and tried to tell myself in between dress and the live show, ‘you can’t laugh like that again.'”
So, what set her off during the live show? “Mikey does seem to turn his head just a little bit and bug out his eyes,” she says. “It’s like he’s doing a subtle acknowledgment. That was new…. Something in the way he moved on live television felt like when someone messes with you to make you laugh.”
Gosling’s third go as host produced several viral moments: Former cast member Kate McKinnon returned for another alien abduction sketch, while basketball phenom Caitlin Clark stopped by Weekend Update to roast Michael Che for his history of sexist sports jokes. Gosling was also joined by Fall Guy co-star Emily Blunt for a retooled, #Barbenheimer-tinged rendition of Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well” (which received Swift’s seal of approval).
The Gosling-led installment earned a rare average grade of “A” from TVLine readers; relive the Beavis and Butt-Head sketch in all its glory above.
That was one of the funniest SNL’s I have seen in a long time. From the hilarious cold opening to Heidi just losing it. Fantastic episode!!!
When Heidi broke out laughing, it was a funny moment because it was so unexpected (funnier than the sketch itself). But it would have been better if Ryan Gosling hadn’t already been cracking up during every single sketch he was in.
That last SNL show was the most enjoyable in quite some time: a laugh fest from opening to end! Long live Beavis and Butthead!