Halsey pulled double duty as both host and musical guest during the Saturday, February 9, episode of Saturday Night Live. The musician seemingly used the opportunity to put her former love on blast too.
Power Move
The singer first showed off her pipes with a performance of “Without Me.” The wall behind her read, “Ashley, I cheated … in Minneapolis … New Orleans … at home in Los Angeles.” After seemingly calling out her ex, Halsey, whose real name is Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, later returned to sing “Eastside,” at which time she painted a portrait on the stage floor. (Halsey split with G-Eazy in October 2018 after a year of dating.)
Gaga for Gaga
Melissa Villaseñor shared her impressive Lady Gaga impression during a “Weekend Update” segment, complete with a wig (though she said she was “born that way”). What began as a joke quickly turned into a rousing rendition of “Shallow” that left us wanting to hear more. Kyle Mooney even stopped by as Bradley Cooper.
Off Limits
Aidy Bryant, Kate McKinnon and Halsey teamed up for a Valentine’s Day PSA in the form of a music video. The trio informed their bosses, moms, brothers and kids that they did not want to think of them on the holiday designated for romance. Because, according to Kenan Thompson, that’s what birthdays are for.
Black History
Mooney and Beck Bennett interrupted Thompson, Leslie Jones, Chris Redd and Ego Nwodim’s tribute to Black History Month and the African American performers who came before them on SNL to tout their own knowledge. Watching Jones and Thompson seethe with frustration as Mooney and Bennett took over was a treat, while the sketch ended with a sweet nod to the future that lies ahead. As Jones put it, “It’s gonna be a better tomorrow.”
Insta Love
Another standout “Weekend Update” segment featured an Instagram couple, played by Mikey Day and Heidi Gardner, who were not as picture-perfect in person. The “Once Upon a Snuggle” stars could not stop fighting, but they eventually made up when Gardner’s character sang a revised version of the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way” that would make ears bleed.
Looking Back
Halsey opened the show with a high-energy monologue, in which she reflected on her New Jersey roots — fake accent and all — and her love for SNL as a kid. She noted that she always “especially admired” the women on the show because “they never cared what they looked like, what they sounded like or what anybody thought of them. They were just funny.”
Wrong Number?
Bennett and Halsey played Day’s parents in this sketch. The couple failed to communicate their many ailments, including gunshot wounds, snapped-off hands and broken legs, to their son properly over the phone, leading to much confusion.
Saturday Night Live airs on NBC Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET.
