“Do Americans actually think SNL is funny”: Even UFC Couldn’t Save Ariana Grande’s Latest SNL Appearance From Harsh Criticism of Fans

Ever since becoming one of the biggest pop stars in recent history, Ariana Grande hasn’t spent much time showing off her acting abilities in front of the camera. Before taking over the music industry, Grande found Hollywood success while working on the set of Nickelodeon’s Victorious as Cat Valentine, featuring the iconic Victoria Justice.

While the 31-year-old pop star tried to navigate through her acting career, she also gave some attention to her musical aspirations behind the scenes. In 2013, she released a single called The Way, featuring Mac Miller, who tragically passed away in 2018, and it quickly drew a lot of attention to her work.

Eventually, Grande had to give time to music as it found far more success than her Hollywood career. But she certainly hasn’t forgotten her theatrical roots either. The pop star tends to show off her abilities on screen while appearing on late-night talk shows, just like she recently did on Saturday Night Live.

Ariana Grande tried her best to pull off a parody of Celine Dion’s Sunday Night Football promo

If there’s one thing the NFL is known for, it’s collaborating with musicians for special events like the Super Bowl or Sunday Night Football. Celine Dion recently surprised NFL enthusiasts ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys game with a Sunday Night Football promo.

In the promo, the iconic singer who was featured on the 1997 hit, Titanic, drew parallels between her song It’s All Coming Back to Me Now and the age-long rivalry between the Steelers and Cowboys. (Via TODAY) She said,

I think my favorite thing about this game is its power to connect who we are to who we were… To prove that our most powerful memories, our most enduring loves, can stay with us forever. You know what I’m talking about, right? Some nights, it just all comes back.

What Dion said was in reference to the Steelers and Cowboys’ first primetime and NBC matchup since 1982 and 1996 respectively. And this was the legendary My Heart Will Go On singer’s first performance since the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

Ariana Grande had to lead a parody sketch for the upcoming UFC 308 event that’s set to take place on October 26, 2024, at the Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, whose main event will feature a title fight between BMF title holder Max Holloway and Featherweight King, Ilia Topuria. Let’s just say Grande’s sketch received a ton of mixed opinions. 

Fans react to Ariana Grande’s appearance on Saturday Night Live

Ariana Grande last hosted Saturday Night Live in 2016, two years before starting a relationship with her now ex-partner, Pete Davidson, who stepped away from the show some time ago. Grande appeared alongside the legendary musical artist, Stevie Nicks, who performed her hits The Lighthouse and Edge of Seventeen. 

During the show, Grande not only impersonated Celine Dion but also Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani while sarcastically claiming she couldn’t sing well. But her performance of Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso didn’t generate a great response online, as some claimed it was funny while others didn’t like it all. Here’s what fans had to say on X:

Do Americans actually think snl is funny or do you all just pretend to be nice https://t.co/l6dE3pzx6I

— 🦇 Spooky ♱ Freya🧛🏽‍♀️ (@Bambitea3) October 13, 2024

I mean you picked the worst sketch from this episode. Everything else had me in tears, laughing crying, first time in like 10 years. It’s a hit or miss.

— Seth (@s_ethaustin) October 14, 2024

This skit wasn’t funny but the other ones were

— 🌸 (@orchidnamebabe) October 14, 2024

Some people genuinely enjoy it I think

— em (@emilyreadey) October 14, 2024

Turns out, even her comedic version of Dion’s Sunday Night Football promo wasn’t enough to save her from this mess. But this isn’t the first time she’s tried to impersonate legends like Dion. 

While being interviewed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon nearly a decade ago, the Grammy Award winner played a game of “Musical Impressions” with the host himself.

She was challenged to sing Mary Had a Little Lamb, The Wheels on the Bus, and The Weeknd’s Can’t Feel My Face while impersonating Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Celine Dion respectively. 

In her first appearance on SNL, Grande couldn’t escape the demand of having her impersonate other musicians. She pulled off the segment singing songs from artists like Rihanna, Whitney Houston, Shakira, and Dion too. 

SNL can be watched on NBC.