After 11 years of laughter-inducing performances, beloved comic Cecily Strong is saying goodbye to Saturday Night Live. Her swan song was a star-studded event, with actor Austin Butler hosting and Lizzo providing musical entertainment.
Her final sketch saw co-star Kenan Thompson pay tribute to her iconic career. Fans are sure to miss her spot-on impressions of celebrities, politicians and the infamous “Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With at a Party.”
“Every time she came to work she had a new character or a new accent or a new impression that will just blow you away. She had a power and joy to her performance that made you remember why you loved working at Radio Shack in the first place,” Thompson joked.
“I love you to Mr. Frank Lasagna,” Strong replied.
She had viewers in stitches with her hilarious portrayals of polarizing female figures! From her spot-on impersonations of Krysten Sinema and Marjorie Taylor Greene to her iconic take on Melania Trump, She also showed no fear in tackling the current political climate.
She even brought some of the internet’s most relatable memes to life, like the chain-smoking news addict and the ditzy “valley girl.”
“I don’t have time to think Seth. This election is an outrage, it’s a joke. Okay? It’s a bom-nation,” Cecily Strong performed in one of many memorable appearances on Weekend Update. “It’s like, who do we think we are? And who do you think you are Seth? Because guess what, you’re not.”
SNL has seen an exodus of beloved cast members this past year, including Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney, Pete Davidson, Melissa Villaseñor, Alex Moffat, Aristotle Athari, and Chris Redd.
The two-time Emmy Award nominee briefly co-hosted Weekend Update with Seth Meyers and Colin Jost during her tenure. Strong joined SNL in 2012, and leaves the show as a much-loved cast member.