Ayo Edebiri seemingly addressed her resurfaced comments about Jennifer Lopez in the middle of a Saturday Night Live sketch.
Edebiri, 28, hosted the Saturday, February 3, episode of the variety series, where she appeared in a skit called “Why’d You Say It?” The Bear star, along with SNL cast members Chloe Fineman and Andrew Dismukes, played game show contestants who were asked to explain why they wrote mean messages via Instagram comments.
After Edebiri’s character quipped that she wrote “die” in the comments of one of Drew Barrymore’s posts, she reasoned that it was because she’s “alone a lot” and pens messages that will get a response to “make sure [she’s] alive.” Edebiri did ultimately learn her lesson after Fineman, 35, and Dismukes, 28, shared similar experiences.
“OK, OK, We get it. It’s wrong to leave mean comments or post comments just for clout — or run your mouth on a podcast and you don’t consider the impact because you’re 24 and stupid,” Edebiri exclaimed as the crowd roared with cheers. “But, I think I speak for everyone when I say, from now on, we’re going to be a lot more thoughtful about what we post online.”
Kenan Thompson, who played the fictitious game show host, nodded his head in approval as the audience applauded.
“Aww, that’s sweet,” Thompson, 45, added in character. “[That] is what I would have said if two minutes ago, you didn’t post this comment on my personal Instagram. Under this photo of me and my 3-year-old son, you wrote: ‘What disease does he have?’”
Edebiri tried to explain, joking that her character “cannot change.”
Edebiri’s SNL monologue appeared to directly apologize for comments she made about Lopez, now 54, during a 2020 podcast appearance.
“Well, that’s the thing. She thinks she’s on multiple tracks, but it’s not her,” Edebiri said on the “Scam Goddess” podcast at the time, noting she thought Lopez’s career was a scam. “I think she thinks that she’s still good even though she’s not singing for most of these songs.”
She continued, “A lot of the write-ups of the songs will be like, ‘J. Lo didn’t have time to make it to the studio,’ like J. Lo was busy. It’s like, ‘Doing what?’ Not singing, obviously!”
The podcast clip resurfaced online on Friday, February 1, the same day that Edebiri’s SNL promo with Lopez, Saturday’s musical guest, debuted.
“I love your everything,” Edebiri gushed to Lopez in the promo after the Grammy winner proclaimed that she was a fan of Edebiri’s show The Bear.
Lopez performed “This Is Me… Now” and “Can’t Get Enough” on Saturday, both of which Edebiri enthusiastically introduced. Rappers Latto and Redman joined Lopez for her second song, “Can’t Get Enough.” Edebiri also sang Lopez’s praises during the episode’s goodnights.
“Thank you to Jennifer Lopez,” Edebiri quipped during the closing segment before shouting out “this amazing cast” and crew. “Thank you so much, this has been a dream come true. I love you, goodnight!”
Saturday Night Live airs on NBC Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET.
