Sabrina Carpenter made a dazzling debut as both host and musical guest on Saturday Night Live, combining sharp humor, self-awareness and infectious pop energy—all while reviving one of the show’s most beloved characters, Domingo. Welcome back, Domingo! The “Manchild” hitmaker opened the night with a cold open that immediately sent longtime SNL fans into a frenzy. The sketch reunited Chloe Fineman’s iconic Kelsey character and her tight-knit “girl group,” including Carpenter herself. In true nostalgic fashion, the group breaks into song to recount their wild Nashville night, recounting every chaotic detail to Kelsey’s confused husband Matt (Andrew Dismukes). Watch the sketch here: Set to the tune of Taylor Swift’s ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ and Lady Gaga’s ‘Abracadabra’, the musical retelling concluded with the long-awaited reappearance of Marcello Hernández’s Domingo – who burst into his trademark melodrama to declare his love for Kelsey with Alex Warenadingsy. ‘Ordinary’. Domingo’s return drew roaring applause from the audience, marking a crowd-pleasing return for one of SNL’s standout characters. Sabrina Addresses ‘Man’s Best Friend’ Album Cover Controversies Carpenter then transitioned into her opening monologue, where she playfully tackled the chatter surrounding her latest album ‘Man’s Best Friend’. “Since then, my new album Man’s Best Friend came out, which I’m so excited about. But some people were a bit put off by the cover,” she said with a knowing smile. Watch her monologue here: “I’m not sure why. It was just this: me on all fours with an unseen figure pulling my hair. But what people don’t realize is that it’s just the way they cut it. If you zoom out, it’s clearly a photo from the 50th anniversary special of Bowen helping me up by the hair,” she continued, as an image from the screen. “After Martin Short pushed me out of the buffet line.” Leaning into her bold pop persona, Carpenter poked fun at her own reputation. “Everyone thinks of me as this horndog pop star, but there’s really so much more to me,” she quipped. “I’m not just horny, I’m also attracted, and I’m sexually charged. And I love to read. My favorite book is the encyclopedia. It’s so big and it’s hard…” The monologue, equal parts cheeky and smart, nailed Carpenter’s comedic timing and charm — proving she’s just as comfortable running the SNL Billboard chart. With Domingo’s dramatic return, sharp writing, and Carpenter’s effortless self-aware humor, this episode of Saturday Night Live delivered everything fans hoped for.
Sabrina Carpenter Brings Domingo Back in Hilarious SNL Debut, Jokes About Man’s Best Friend Cover Reaction
