Caitlin Clark made a surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live this weekend, nailing the jokes she “wrote” like a long-distance three-pointer.
In New York for tonight’s WNBA Draft, Clark slid onto the Weekend Update desk with a big smile. The audience cheered for a good 20 seconds like she’d just hit a game-winner.
With good-natured Weekend Update host Michael Che, Clark took aim at his (and, no doubt, other SNL hosts and writers and comedians everywhere) cracks about a lack of interest in women’s sports.
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Clark’s delivery might not have been as smooth as one of her on-court assists. Though chances are she hasn’t had a lot of time to take acting classes. Yet.
Still, the jokes all landed.
When done well, humor has just a hint of what some might call “truth” to it. Che’s past jokes about the lack of interest in women’s sports have reflected the general public tenor about the topic. Interest in women’s sports has been generally well below that of men’s sports, with of course the occasional exception.
Yet with the TV ratings Clark, along with the other players and coaches from Iowa and South Carolina, delivered for ESPN’s NCAA Women’s Championship Game, those “old jokes” are getting more and more tired.
Clark’s jokes mocking the increasingly out-of-date commentary about women’s sports interest stole the show. The crack about Netflix’s show “Ripley” was comedic genius.
Caitlin Clark will be selected first by Indiana in tonight’s WNBA Draft. This summer, the world will be watching to see if the college basketball phenom can become the latest basketball superstar in the Hoosier State.
