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The SNL 40th Anniversary Special was highly anticipated for the last month, with many fans of the show wondering if the sketches and performances would be a major success or a disappointing flop.
Well, Sunday night (Feb. 15) was the moment of truth and the brain trust pulled out all of the stops by welcoming just about everyone who had ever been involved in the show to be a part of the celebration. One of the standout moments was veteran cast member Maya Rudolph’s sketch in which she pulled a Beyonce impression for the ages.
After a brief introduction by actor Martin Short, the comedic cutie struts onstage as the live band plays the beat for “Crazy in Love.” Rudolph shows up in a black onesie and a ‘do reminiscent of Beyonce’s alter ego Sasha Fierce. Going the extra mile and doing the patented Beyonce chest-pump move, Rudolph greets the SNL crowd in all of her charismatic splendor, receiving compliments from Short — who voiced what every heterosexual guy in attendance at the show or viewing from a TV or laptop was thinking.
But the kicker was when the sketch transitioned to the musical portion. Following a quick tune by Short, Rudolph decides to have a little fun and create her own rendition of “Drunk in Love” and the result is classic SNL. Substituting Bey’s famed “surfboard” quote for “40 years,” she sends the crowd — and everybody at home for that matter — into a frenzy. Rudolph and Short continue to create their own versions of popular tunes, including Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” and Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass,” before eventually leading the cast into a full-blown dance session onstage.
Since Maya Rudolph is the daughter of famed singer Minnie Ripperton, it’s only right she has some soul and swag, which she puts on full display during this segment — she even pokes some fun at Kanye West’s support of the singer. Rudolph owned the stage and this Beyonce moment arguably became the highlight of the night.
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