Dana Carvey brings back the church lady for a scathing commentary on 2024 on SNL

Dana Carvey made a triumphant return to Saturday Night Live on Dec. 7, reprising his iconic “Church Lady” character in a cold open that delivered sharp, satirical jabs at modern culture and politics. The 69-year-old comedy legend, best known for his Wayne’s World days and memorable SNL sketches, didn’t hold back as he dubbed 2024 “the most satanic year in history.”
Opening her signature Church Chat talk show, the Church Lady wasted no time calling out societal ills and moral failings. “Welcome to Church Chat. I’m the Church Lady,” Carvey quipped. “It’s great to be back to ring out the end of 2024, the most satanic year in history.” From there, the biting commentary began.
The Church Lady lamented how cultural icons have strayed far from spiritual role models, taking aim at modern trends: “Instead of Mother Mary, little girls are looking up to the Hawk Tuah girl. Well, you know what I say: instead of hawk tuah-y, you need to walk tuah-y to a church.” She didn’t stop there, skewering popular entertainment: “Have you seen Wicked? It’s just like The Wizard of Oz, but instead of saying, ‘Lions, tigers and bears, oh my,’ they say, ‘Lions, tigers and sluts, oh yes.’ A little bit different.”
Carvey also took a jab at celebrity culture, lamenting the influence on young fans. “Everywhere you look, you’ve got 11-year-olds dressing up like that vixen Sabrina Carpenter,” the Church Lady remarked. “Well, you know who was the best carpenter? Jesus.”
The sketch didn’t shy away from political satire either, featuring fellow SNL alum David Spade as Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, who was recently pardoned. Sarah Sherman joined in the fun, portraying former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz. Both characters received a verbal lashing from the Church Lady, who pointed out their “sinful” ways in her signature smug style.
The cold open was a nostalgic yet timely reminder of Carvey’s enduring comedic brilliance and his ability to blend biting humor with cultural critique. Fans were thrilled to see the Church Lady return, proving that some SNL classics remain as relevant—and hilarious—as ever.