going on a road trip snl

SNL Transcripts Tonight

For Die Hard Saturday Night Live Fans

Please Don’t Destroy – Road Trip

Jenna:  I’ve just been doing a lot of press and these different jobs. Don’t get me wrong. I’m really really grateful. It’s just I’m starting to feel a little burnt out.

John:  Oh, that sucks. Martin, are you ready with the playlist?

Martin: Yeah.

Ben: Oh, and I got the Slurpee.

Martin:  Dude, nice.

Jenna:  I’m sorry. What do you guys doing?

Ben:  We’re going on a beautiful cross country American Road Trip.

John:  Just us and the open road. It’s gonna be awesome.

Jenna:  Wait, can I come?

All: [singing]  Hit the open road and catch your ride arms getting tan on the sunny side John:  I’m on the wheel

Martin:  I’m on map

Ben:  I’m on snacks

All:  And Jenna’s job is to just relax on a road trip a great American road trip

we’re going on a road trip we’re going on a road trip roll down the windows–

Martin:  We missed the exit.

Navigation:  Recalculating route.

John:  Okay, just look out for the next one. Need a little heads up?

Martin: Yeah. Okay. It’s just full hard doing music and that.

Ben:  Price of being shotgun.

John:  Yeah, no, no, it’s fine. Just let’s try to focus on Nav, alright?

Martin:  Okay. Yeah. Focus on the Nav.

John:  Yeah, thanks.

Martin:  [in small voice] You’re not in charge of me.

All:  Nod to convertibles when they pass moon a trucker, put your cheeks on the glass punch when you’re green, punch when you’re red see a sign that says we’re going to hell on a road trip a great American roadtrip-

Ben:  [to Jenna] Sorry, can we cool it with the Slurpee for a second? It’s just right in my ear.

Jenna:  Oh, yeah, sorry.

Ben: It’s okay. I’m happy to buy everyone a Slurpee, but you’re just sucking on the- [Jenna doesn’t stop slurping] There’s none left.

Jenna:  Okay! Can you scoot over? Your leg hair keeps pressing me.

Ben: Yeah, fine. I’ll move my leg.

Jenna:  [checking her phone] Did you just Venmo request me for the Slurpee?

Ben:  I don’t have any money, so.

All:  Going on a road trip we’re going on a road trip-

Navigation:  Recalculating route.

John:  We missed the god damn exit again, Martin?

Martin: I’m sorry, man. I’m getting like a ton of texts.

John:  Who could you be texting that isn’t in this car right now?

Martin:  It was my mom, man. My dad had a stroke.

Ben:  I’m so sorry.

Martin:  So yeah, [yelling] sorry I’m not focusing on the Nav.

Martin:  I don’t know why I said that. He did not have a stroke.

John:  Liar.

Ben:  C’mon man.

John:  Everybody, we’re having quiet time. Read a book or something.

All:  Finally time to chill, I can do what I want Dive into the new Michelle Obama

Jenna:  I’m gonna puke.

John:  Do not puke in my car, dude.

Jenna:  I get carsick from reading.

Margin:  Exit coming up in 1.2 miles.

Jenna:  Pull over right now.

Ben:  Well, you shouldn’t have sucked down that Slurpee so fast.

Jenna:  Shut up, Ben.

Martin:  0.3 miles.

John:  Mart, that means nothing to me.

Martin:  You told me to focus on the Nav.

Jenna:  Oh my god, it’s happening.

Martin:  No, no, no, no.

John:  God, we’re going home.

Ben:  What just happened?

John: Nothing. Go back to sleep, everybody. Thanks.

Will you turn the AC on?

Martin:  Hot or cold?

John:  Both.

Jesus:  I saw what you did.

All:  On a road trip..

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'Saturday Night Live': Jenna Ortega's Best Sketches, Ranked

“I got discovered when my mom put a video of me on Facebook, which someone explained to me is like TikTok, but for racism instead of dancing.”

Last weekend, Kansas City Chiefs tight-end and two-time Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce made his Saturday Night Live hosting debut alongside musical guest Kelsea Ballerini . The athlete proved to have quite the funny bone, as he was a natural on the Studio 8H stage as a proud American Girl Doll Cafe patron, a punch-happy self-defense instructor, and a classic Straight Male Friend. This week’s host made the sketch show mysterious, spooky, and altogether ooky.

Host Jenna Ortega is having quite the week. Actually, she’s having quite the last few months. In addition to reprising her role as Tara Carpenter in Scream VI , which slashed its way into theaters this past weekend , she also starred in the hit horror movie X , and of course, dominated Netflix when she inhabited the titular role of the iconic Addams Family character in the aptly titled series Wednesday . Before she was getting covered in blood and immersing herself in the macabre, Ortega starred in the Disney Channel series Stuck in the Middle , played a young Jane in Jane the Virgin , the inquisitive Ellie Alves in You , and starred alongside Maddie Ziegler in The Fallout .

But, as Ortega explains in her lovely monologue, she actually got her real start in an adorable Colgate toothpaste commercial, where she can be seen at nine years old with a super squeaky voice yelling about getting rid of those pesky “invisible nasties.” The monologue featured a delightful surprise cameo by comedian Fred Armisen , who not only plays Uncle Fester to Ortega’s Wednesday on the hit Netflix series but was also a cast member on Saturday Night Live for 11 splendid seasons. In addition to dropping by the monologue, he also acted in one of the best sketches of the night (but more on that below!).

The Scream star also emphasized how surreal her hosting the legendary sketch show actually is. At 20 years old, she's the season’s youngest host, but this wasn’t the first time she’s been in the studio. “This feels like a dream. When I was kid, I wasn’t old enough to watch SNL yet, so I took a tour of the SNL studio with my parents like six years ago, and they said, ‘Man, wouldn’t it be amazing if you hosted some day?’” adding, “It seemed impossible then, but now I’m here tonight, and my parents are in the audience, and they get to hear me say, ‘We have a great show for you tonight!’”

Let’s revisit some of the best moments from the March 11 episode of Saturday Night Live . Live from New York, it’s Jenna Ortega!

RELATED: 'Wednesday' Season 2: Announcement Teaser, Possible Returning Cast, and Everything We Know So Far

6 Honorable Mention: Michael Che on Weekend Update

Weekend Update has been consistently strong this season, with anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che delivering some the of sharpest jokes of every episode. Last night, Che was an all-star, leaning into his misogynistic Update persona and serving up jokes that are hard to hear in the best of ways. The punchlines this week felt particularly edgy and harsh, and Che’s reactions to the crowd’s groans and gasps never get old.

5 Ridiculousness

Okay, so this MTV show is, like, still a thing? Apparently, it's what’s keeping the entire channel alive. Mikey Day plays host Rob Dyrdek who dresses and acts like a teenager but is, as we learn, approaching 50. He’s joined by his loyal co-hosts Steelo Brim ( Kenan Thompson ) and Chanel West Coast ( Chloe Fineman ) who are ready to comment on epic fail videos on the internet. Joining them this week is TikTok star Lee Lee Two Times (Ortega) who brings good vibes and chill times but also some very detailed and disturbing anecdotes.

4 Cold Open: Oscars Red Carpet

The 95th annual Academy Awards are upon us! Did something happen at last year’s that was traumatic? Oh yes, yes. Now I remember. To kick off the episode, Marcello Hernandez and Heidi Gardner play red carpet hosts Matthew Lopez and either Kit Hoover or Maria Menounos . She’s genuinely not sure. (They definitely aren't hoping for another shocking moment.) In the pre-show, they interview a number of unique folks that come their way, including security guard Mike Tyson (Thompson), “ Tom Cruise ” ( Bowen Yang ), and best of all, Oscar nominee Jamie Lee Curtis , played brilliantly by Chloe Fineman, who captures the actress’ eccentric energy and enthusiasm that’s been the highlight of awards season.

3 Waffle House

There’s that old saying that nothing good happens after midnight, but what about how nothing good happens at a Waffle House? (Okay, except for the waffles. It’s kind of their “thing.”) Ortega and Hernandez play a long-time boyfriend and girlfriend dealing with the complications of diverging paths and life post-high school. But if you thought that was dramatic and stressful, then just look at what’s going on inside the Waffle House in the background. Shirts are off, tasers are tasing, and of course, fights are happening.

2 The Parent Trap

Classic films are getting the modern-day remake treatment, whether audiences want it or not. Next up is a remake of the 1998 Lindsay Lohan vehicle The Parent Trap about twins Annie and Hallie who were separated at birth and raised separately by one of their parents. At summer camp, they meet for the first time and are determined to piece their family back together. Sweet, right? Unless the actress standing in for one of the twins is out sick, and the lead of the movie is stuck acting alongside a crewman who doesn’t quite grasp the concept. Said crewman stepping into the role for the day is Ray, played by none other than Fred Armisen, who brings his hilarious A-game to this unfiltered character.

1 Please Don’t Destroy: Road Trip

They’re going on a road trip! A beautiful cross-country American road trip! The Please Don’t Destroy trio Ben Marshall , John Higgins , and Martin Herlihy have been absolutely crushing it this season with their pre-recorded sketches, and this one is no exception. The boys are about to embark on a de-stressing road trip and Jenna Ortega wants in. The four hit the open road and sing a soon-to-be classic SNL original song as they try to get past the many emotional and literal road bumps along the way. Road trip!

On April 1, Abbott Elementary creator and star Quinta Brunson is set to make her Saturday Night Live hosting debut alongside musical guest Lil Yachty .

Scream queen Jenna Ortega hosts a dark and twisted Saturday Night Live

The first-timer proves to be the perfect muse for snl 's writers.

Last year,   The Hollywood Reporter called Jenna Ortega the “next big thing, ” and now she is hosting Saturday Night Live . After this meteoric rise , she’s become the youngest first-timer of this season. Despite her age, she has been in the industry for over a decade and she proved it with versatility, commitment, and poise in hosting this legacy sketch show. Similar to last week, SNL benefited from embracing more provocative and twisted content. Ortega’s unique persona blending innocence and darkness enhanced this trend and made for a terrific episode.

Related Content

Best sketch of the night.

It was very hard to pick tonight. However, the simplicity and relatability of “Please Don’t Destroy – Road Trip” won out. A burnt-out Ortega joins the comic trio on a road trip. A great premise, the sketch juxtaposed the hopes and dreams of a road trip with its inevitable and harsh realities. Contrasting the cheerful musical interludes with bursts of passive aggression created a hilarious unease. It was Jean-Paul Satre’s No Exit (pun intended) set in a four-door metal box on the open road.

Worst sketch of the night

Tomorrow’s Academy Award red carpet served as tonight’s cold open. By no means horrible, the sketch simply lacked focus. At its best, it was a nice break from the typical reenactments of political press conferences and news reports while remaining topical. Mainly structured as a takedown of Hollywood culture and the inaneness of award shows, it felt like the writers threw as many ideas as possible at the wall just to see what might stick. From Ozempic to Michelle Williams’ Jewish acting coach, or maybe more accurately, acting Jewish coach, the sketch had the potential to dig into, but nothing scratched the surface. The entire exercise felt like a revolving door of impressions without any real direction.

Second best sketch of the night

Next to “Please Don’t Destroy – Road Trip,” “Waffle House” was the best sketch of the night due to its complexity. Inspired by last year’s viral video of a Waffle House employee catching a chair mid-air, the sketch involved the delicate balance between two different planes of action. Balancing a WB-inspired teen drama with the chaos of Waffle House at night (if you’ve been, you know), the disparate elements came together in perfect comedic harmony. Ortega and Marcello Hernandez’s dedication to playing it straight only amplifies the escalating violence in the background bacchanal. It was the perfect fusion of performance and staging. The sketch was an exercise in restraint by defying the urge to bring the camera into the background action. It was inevitable that the two planes of action collide with someone or something coming through the glass, the reveal of the father was the perfect unexpected twist.

Best character of the night

New cast member Molly Kearney had more to do than normal in tonight’s episode. Of many great moments, their portrayal of Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally was their best. As Tennessee and many other Republican-led state legislatures launch attacks on their queer citizens, McNally is a constant reminder of the marriage between politics and hypocrisy. While supporting an anti-LGBTQ+ agenda publicly, McNally has been enjoying queer thirst traps on social media in private (well not very private). From jabbing McNally’s technological ineptitude and lampooning his false sanctimony, the segment was the perfect illustration of blatant bigotry. Anchored by excellent wordplay from “randy” to “Tom, Dick, and hairless,” Kearney’s facial expressions, handwork, and decision to play McNally as a perverted baby was pitch perfect. Hopefully, Kearny celebrates the performance at Flaming Saddles tonight. An honorable mention goes to Ego Nwodim’s sleep-deprived, no-nonsense downstairs neighbor in “ Exorcism .”

MVP of the night: Jenna Ortega

Nearly everyone in the cast found a moment to shine tonight, but the standout, of course, was Jenna Ortega. Each sketch felt tailor-made for and propelled by Ortega’s unique star power. An enchanting blend of past season hosts like deadpan Aubrey Plaza and showoman Keke Palmer, Ortega’s youth, intelligence, and her particularly quizzical blend of innocence and darkness was the episode’s foundation. She started with a solid monologue, but it was her character work in each sketch that was astounding. Her commitment to each character and her craft was admirable and elevated each sketch. The best proof came from “ Jingle Pitch ,” which seemed the least suited to Ortega, she still made it work. There was a terrific moment where she nearly breaks in response to Bowen Yang’s frenzied performance, but she manages to hold it all together. Ortega’s performance was a testament that comedy should be taken seriously and rooted in the reality of each character.

Stray observations:

• Considering two of the night’s best sketches were pretaped and edited, it will be interesting to see what happens with the upcoming strike . The significance and popularity of pretapped segments on SNL have been rising for years, and 2023 marks a pivotal year in which the editorial crew will be striking. Choosing April Fools Day to start the strike might be a littel misguided, hopefully it can be resolved. The SNL post - production team clearly works extremely hard turning around top-notch content each week. It is clear their contributions have been wildly undervalued for years.
• It was great to see so much of the cast get airtime. Especially, the new cast members.
• I did have to see if Ridiculousness was a real program. I am almost certain that “Varsity Valley” is not.
• I would watch a sketch built around Lt. Gov. Randy McNally. It’s almost a shame that Austin Butler already hosted. He could have played the Instagram twink.
• That Pinocchio costume felt like an awful lot of work for such a brief appearance.
• They should develop an Ozempic skit.
• Happy Birthday Ego!

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Watch Jenna Ortega's Endlessly Hilarious SNL Sketches

The young horror icon flexed her funny bone for the world to see.  SNL airs at 11:30/10:30c on NBC.

How to Watch

Watch Saturday Night Live  Saturdays at 11:30/10:30c on  NBC and next day on  Peacock .  

Jenna Ortega was the Host  with the most on  Saturday Night Live  on March 11, 2023, and it was a seriously hilarious night.

The first-time Host took the  SNL  crowd by storm alongside musical guest The 1975, and she brought her A-Game for the milestone performance. With a delightful  mix of horror-themed sketches  and celebrity guest appearances, Ortega's  SNL  debut was a success. 

Watch  Jenna Ortega's  SNL  sketches , below, to laugh along for the journey! 

Jenna Ortega's Opening Monologue

Ortega crushed her  SNL  debut , speaking in her opening monologue about being a child actress and how it feels to star in such iconic horror films. Ortega appears in  Scream 6 , which premiered the same weekend as Ortega's  SNL  appearance. 

"The Parent Trap"

Iconic  SNL  alum Fred Armisen makes a cameo for this hilarious sketch based on The Parent Trap . Does he seem like a fitting body double for Ortega? Nah, but that's why the sketch is so funny. 

"School vs. School"

Ortega is so funny in SNL's  X-Men  spoof, where she plays a passionate mutant student who wants to win the game show and go all the way. She's a tad more zealous than her competition, but it makes for some seriously great scenes. 

Everyone has nosy neighbors, but sometimes they can come in handy, especially if you're dealing with a pesky exorcism. Ego Nwodim plays a concerned neighbor after Ortega becomes possessed; the perfect sketch for Ortega's horror origins. 

"Road Trip"

It always seems like a good idea to go on a great American road trip, but once you hit that four-hours mark, it's normal to think twice about the decision.  Please Don't Destroy's latest digital short  shines a spotlight on this universal truth, and boy is it accurate.

"Waffle House"

Everyone knows that what happens at Waffle House, stays at Waffle House. Ortega and Marcello Hernández play a high school couple that reevaluates their relationship outside the beloved diner. But if we're being honest, we're more interested in whatever is going on behind them. 

"Jingle Pitch"

After a group of lawyers gathers to decide on a hit jingle for their law firm, they get an interesting pitch from a local band. 

"Ridiculousness"

In this  hilarious parody of  Ridiculousness , Ortega plays a Host with perhaps the most ridiculous story that the crowd has ever heard. "Cat ball" is going to live in your head rent-free after watching this wild sketch. 

Can't get enough  Saturday Night Live ? NBC.com has so many classic moments ready for you to watch whenever you want. Here's how to do it:

How can I watch classic  Saturday Night Live  sketches? 

NBC.com is a great place to start. See below: 

Best of Bill Hader on  SNL

Best of Kristen Wiig on  SNL

Best of Will Ferrell on  SNL

Commercials on  SNL

Cut for Time Sketches on  SNL

Everything  MacGruber 

Watch   Saturday Night Live  Saturdays at 11:30/10:30c on  NBC  and stream the next day on  Peacock .

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Please Don't Destroy

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Please Don't Destroy is a New York-based comedy trio consisting of Ben Marshall , John Higgins , and Martin Herlihy .

They have performed their hour of sketch comedy at the New York Comedy Festival, Moontower Comedy Festival, and Lyric Hyperion in Los Angeles.

• 2.1 Season 47 (2021–22)
• 2.2 Season 48 (2022–23)
• 2.3 Season 49 (2023-24)
• 3 Filmography

Members [ ]

John Higgins is the son of current SNL writer/producer Steve Higgins , and Martin Herlihy is the son of former SNL writer/frequent Adam Sandler collaborator Tim Herlihy . Marshall is the only one who doesn't have a famous father linked to SNL.

In 2021 , the trio was hired to become writers on Saturday Night Live, following other sketch groups such as The Lonely Island and Good Neighbor .

During the October 9, 2021 episode, the first "Please Don't Destroy Video" aired, featuring the three members of the trio. They recorded the song "Three Sad Virgins" with Pete Davidson and Taylor Swift .

List of prerecorded sketches [ ]

Season 47 (2021–22) [ ], season 48 (2022–23) [ ], season 49 (2023-24) [ ], filmography [ ], gallery [ ].

• 2 Kristen Wiig
• 3 Season 49

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Saturday Night Live Recap: Jenna Ortega’s Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Saturday night live.

Last week,  The Hollywood Reporter announced  that Jenna Ortega is in talks for a starring role in a forthcoming sequel to  Beetlejuice . Between this potential part, her extremely popular portrayal of Wednesday Addams  on Netflix, and becoming a central figure in the  Scream  franchise, Ortega appears to be running for President of Goths Who Grew Up in the ’90s. Or perhaps not.

“A lot of people assume that I’m dark and twisted in real life because of the roles I play, but I’m not like that at all,” Ortega demurs during  a charming  Saturday Night Live  monologue . “I think there’s just something about my face where people see it, and they’re like, ‘Hey, let’s throw blood on that.’”

Whether it was the young star’s idea or that of the  SNL  writers, though, “dark and twisted” is exactly the energy pumping all through this week’s episode. It may have been light on blood-splattered faces, but it was heavy on horror-tinged sketches. Ortega alternately plays a possessed woman getting a bargain-bin exorcism , a youthful mutant having a violent breakdown  mid-game show , and a guest on MTV’s  Ridiculousness  whose macabre anecdotes make Debbie Downer  look like Jojo Siwa. Not every sketch is a barrel of monkeys, but together they form a more cohesive unit than usual, and there isn’t a dud in the bunch.

Ortega is a natural host, and her visible nerves during the monologue only make her more relatable. It probably helps that, as she mentions, she’s fantasized about hosting  SNL  since taking an NBC tour as a child — which is kind of cute until you realize that Ortega was born   only after Will Ferrell finished his  SNL  run. At that point, people of a certain age (the age of being a goth who grew up in the ’90s) can only feel like walking into the ocean. But that’s probably just the darkness talking.

Here are the highlights from the episode:

Oscars Red Carpet Cold Open

By the time Jerrod Carmichael hosted  SNL  last April, six days after the Oscars, the Slap had been so exhaustively debated and deconstructed, it seemed impossible to address any further. The show still managed to wring  a macro-view monologue  and a sharp sketch  out of it, though, because there was pretty much no other choice. Now that the Oscars are upon us again, the strangest thing that ever happened during an awards show, eclipsing even the  Moonlight  mishap, has been mercifully reduced to an excuse for Kenan Thompson’s Mike Tyson impression. Thompson and Tyson have a bit of history together, having gotten into a heated exchange  on Tyson’s podcast last year, so perhaps that helped inspire this seemingly random debut. In any case, Thompson’s delightful take on Tyson is just one of the many gems in a must-see cold open. Others include Sarah Sherman as Michelle Williams’s “Jewish acting coach” for  The Fabelmans , a joke about “awkward pan-downs to feet” in red-carpet coverage, and Bowen Yang as George Santos as Tom Cruise. It’s unclear when Chloe Fineman as Jamie Lee Curtis calls  Tár  “hands down the funniest movie of the year,” whether it’s a dig at Curtis’s awards-circuit ebullience or a playful but much-needed skewering of people who can’t wait to tell you how funny they found  Tár . Either way, it lands.

School vs. School

There are high-concept  SNL  sketches, and there are those that scorch the stratosphere. “School vs. School” firmly belongs in the latter category, pitting what is clearly supposed to be the School for Gifted Youngsters from the X-Men comics against just a regular old high school in a  Jeopardy! -like student game show. Mikey Day turns up the intensity as Professor X/Zander — the follicle-challenged, wheelchair-bound telepath — while Ortega brings real gravitas to her mutant grappling with the fundamental X-Men pitfall of being considered a freak by society, only in this case, the source of it is being terrible at game-show trivia.

The Parent Trap

Ortega’s  Wednesday  co-star, Fred Armisen, who also  pops up in the monologue , appears alongside her in this sketch about the latest remake of  The Parent Trap . (If it isn’t actually in the works yet, you can bet it will be soon.) With the young star’s body double absent, Armisen’s crew member steps in to play her displaced twin and does some very adult improvisation with the role. Armisen steals the show here, reminding us why he could do sketch comedy on TV for 16 continuous years between his runs on  SNL  and  Portlandia . Armisen’s lust for Lisa Rinna wouldn’t land nearly as well, however, if it didn’t have as a foil Ortega’s note-perfect Disney child-star acting, which she came by honestly  and can now wield as a comedy weapon.

James Austin Johnson’s Random Celebrity Impressions

Each of James Austin Johnson’s two-second impressions on “Update” this week is flawless, but his take on Batman reading  Where’s Waldo?  (“WHERE IS HE!”) is even funnier if you’re a nerd who knows that it’s modeled after this particular Christian Bale line read . Also, Johnson’s anecdote about not being served at the afterparty unless he does Trump might just be an excuse to do Trump ordering a negroni in this segment, but it feels rooted in truth.

Jingle Pitch

A weird sketch can go anywhere in the batting order at  SNL  — Lord knows, this episode’s chock full of ’em — but some weird sketches can only go at the very end of the night, where shit gets real loosey-goosey. Much like  Lisa from Temecula  a few episodes back, the jingle-pitch sketch is a true ten-to-one. It features Andrew Dismukes and Johnson in matching mauve suits — rocking a ponytail and blonde Katt Williams hair, respectively — as a pop-funk duo named Soul Booth, trying to come up with a catchy jingle for a law firm. Each jingle effort is funnier (and catchier!) than the last, but this sketch mines even bigger laughs out of its other duo: Ortega and Yang. The pair play the lawyers who commissioned this jingle in the first place after hearing Soul Booth jam out at an Italian restaurant. Their expert delivery turns the name of that restaurant — Lucciano’s — into an entire vibe, so that by the end of the sketch, the audience knows exactly how “a looched-up track” would hit and is probably laughing about it.

Stray Observations

• Obviously, Ortega’s long-ago toothpaste ad glimpsed in the monologue is real, and  here it is  in its entirety.

• “That must suck to go on TV and put on a smile and make friends with some psychotic bigot just because it’s ‘good for the show,’” Michael Che says, ostensibly about Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump, proving once again that the faux-tension between Che and Colin Jost is an evergreen source for   jokes on “Weekend Update .”

• Molly Kearney stops by “Update ” as the Tennessee lieutenant governor who recently left his official digital footprint  all over a young man’s thirst traps, despite Tennessee’s new bills aggressively targeting the LGBTQ community. Arriving with printed-out MapQuest directions is the character’s way of presenting as technologically illiterate — the sort of easily befuddled grandpa who might double-tap by mistake — but all of Kearney’s coquettish facial expressions and gestures undercut this defense beautifully.

• The exorcism sketch  only underlines my long-held contention that it sure seems like pretty much anybody could perform an exorcism.

• It’s a real chicken-and-the-egg situation, trying to determine whether Mikey Day is consciously modeled after rapper Riff Raff  in the Waffle House sketch , or whether Riff Raff just has the essence of the prototypical white dude who gets into a fight at the Waffle House. A mystery for our times.

• Although this week’s road trip-themed   Please Don’t Destroy video  is also fun, it’s a little distracting to watch pre-taped sketches just hours after Bernie Sanders tweeted in support  of the show’s post-production editors, who have threatened to strike during the April 1 episode if they don’t get  a contract for better wages and benefits .

• Having said that, this week’s Please Don’t Destroy did indeed capture the underrated difficulty of doing both music and nav during a road trip.

• I searched around to see if the cat ball from the  Ridiculousness  sketch  is scientifically possible, and at least  one source  says it is “unlikely” that a cat could give birth to six kittens fused together. However, this search was less than thorough due to the fact that if I accidentally caught a glimpse of a real-life cat-ball, I would simply never sleep again.

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Saturday Night Live  recap: An earnest Jenna Ortega tries her hand at live comedy

SNL alum Fred Armisen hammed it up in an attempt to support his Wednesday costar in her hosting debut.

Hey there! Welcome to this week's SNL in Review commentary. Tonight's host is Jenna Ortega , a modern scream queen with starring roles in horror films like Scream and X . But fans probably know her best from the popular Netflix series Wednesday , in which she plays the stoic Wednesday Addams. Saturday Night Live buffs will recall that another Wednesday Addams actress — Christina Ricci — hosted the show and made two appearances promoting Addams Family movies back in the '90s.

I am joined tonight by former SNL cast member Gary Kroeger, who says he was more of a Munsters guy growing up: "I came to appreciate the cast of The Addams Family later in life as I watched reruns. I recognized the tongue-in-cheek swagger of [John] Astin, the effortless grace of Carolyn Jones, and the cunning of the rest." Indeed, as the success of Wednesday demonstrates, "Over time, The Addams Family has proved to be more enduring."

This week, the SNL PR machine placed this spiffy story in GQ , spotlighting the show's next generation. I asked Kroeger how that contrasts with his experience on the show. "This new cast is as versatile as any. Ever," he says. "When I was on the show, the world and media was very different. There was not a lot of media coverage, there was no YouTube, no weekly review like yours, no behind-the-scenes blogs, and certainly no website. In 1982 when I started, Brad Hall, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and I hired a publicist and we got a few local market TV listing magazine covers. NBC took a few publicity pictures. Brad and I did a fashion shoot for Esquire . And I remember being approached by 16 Magazine , we turned them down. But there wasn't an industry of SNL promotion and we more or less had to fend for ourselves. That's just the way it was."

Meanwhile, Ortega's latest movie, Scream VI , has had a big opening weekend, so this is a well-timed hosting gig. Let's jump in!

It's the Oscars red carpet pre-show! Mario Lopez (Marcello Hernandez) and Kit Hoover/Maria Menounos ( Heidi Gardner ) preview this weekend's Academy Awards, complete with a stopover from Kenan Thompson as Mike Tyson, who is heading up security for this year's ceremony. (Tyson has previously been impersonated on the show .)

Nominee Jamie Lee Curtis (Chloe Fineman) stops by as well — Fineman nails this impression. Back in the day, Curtis herself hosted SNL .

I like Devon Walker and Andrew Dismukes as DraftKings commentators giving odds on what may or may not happen at the Oscars — it's not looking likely that Chris Rock will pop up! Molly Kearney and Mikey Day appear as Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell, who appeared on the show earlier this season .

And Bowen Yang returns as George Santos, I mean Tom Cruise.

This is cute. It's almost one of those formless sketches where the entire cast gets shoehorned in, but I like it. Check it out!

Ortega talks about her origins — she started out in a Colgate commercial when she was 9. (Originally, she was discovered when her mom posted a video of her on Facebook. That leads to a joke about the app being to racism what TikTok is to dancing.)

She reveals she is 20 years old — the youngest SNL host this season — and notes that one of the reasons she wanted to host SNL was to face one of her biggest fears: "Happy, extroverted people who are always trying to perform."

Her Wednesday costar and former SNL cast member Fred Armisen is in the audience — he comes on stage to pick up the slack. He tries to be winning, but she shoos him away. Meh.

Kroeger notes that Ortega "has an intelligence and projects confidence in a way that is engaging, without being arrogant or aggressive."

Regarding the now-iconic Wednesday dance scene that went viral, he adds: "The Wednesday dance found rarified air. It was a perfect collision of style, choreographed by Ortega, photography by Burton, and Goo Goo Muck's music. Anyone, including Ortega, can say that it's overplayed, overanalyzed, and even overrated, but it captured a wide range of emotions, conflict, character, storytelling, and just plain cool. It became what it is because once you saw it, you had to see it again. And again, the Wednesday dance is time-capsule worthy."

"School vs. School"

Jay McCormick (Kenan Thompson) is hosting a PBS game show. where teachers team up with students to win big prizes!

Today's contestants: West Grove High School takes on Professor Zander's Academy for Extraordinary Children. It's essentially Professor X and some of his mutant pupils. The X-Men crew is full of angst: Zena (Ortega) cannot control her powers or her emotions. "You are not ready, child!" hollers Mikey Day's Zander. Molly Kearney is also funny as Knockout.

Kenan has a non-sequitur about a COVID-related lawsuit, which is more confusing than redemptive.

"Please Don't Destroy: Road Trip"

Ortega is feeling a little burnt out. Luckily, our PDD heroes are going on a beautiful cross-country American road trip! We are treated to a charming song — "Hit the open road and catch a ride, arms getting tan on the sunny side" — until the boys miss an exit on the highway. Tensions rise, as the bubbly song periodically kicks back in.

Dark turn at the end! Watch.

"The Parent Trap"

A crew guy (played by Armisen) is playing off Ortega's Hallie in a remake of The Parent Trap . They are supposed to be frickin' twins!

Armisen is hamming it up a lot — giving a lot, that's for sure. Is he trying to compensate for Ortega's inexperience? I like that, in this remake, Ed Helms and Leslie Mann are supposedly the parents.

"Ridiculousness"

Mikey Day has a savage impression of Ridiculousness host Rob Dyrdek, who is almost 50. This is especially funny given Day started out on MTV's Wild 'n Out . Dyrdek struggles to get the show's inane, pointless vibe going despite Ortega's character focusing on "weird, sad" stories about her disturbing "cat ball" kitten and her dead kitten. "Reset the vibe!" he demands.

Fineman is also really good here. The sketch gets a little limp once the premise kicks in, but taking the piss out of Ridiculousness is so deserved. What happened to MTV?

"Waffle House"

A melodramatic scene between two teen protagonists (Hernandez and Ortega) in a Waffle House parking lot is undercut by a silly fight in the background. Free bird redneck Mikey Day is tased and shot as the young couple breaks up, oblivious.

Good staging! And a solid payoff at the end.

The 1975 perform "I'm in Love With You"

"I'm in Love With You" is the third single from their latest album. The band previously performed this pop diddy on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last fall.

Kroeger shares: "The 1975 has been around for a while, but they always have the appearance of being new on the scene. They are performance artists, satirists, and pop musicians. I like Being Funny in a Foreign Language very much. I find it very sincere, while also iconoclastic. And their visual presentations are funny while also being theatrical."

"Weekend Update"

Jokes about champagne and Rihanna! Tucker Carlson is also taken to task over his texts and coverage of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Michael Che has a great Colin Jost joke here.

Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (Molly Kearney) comes on to discuss the uproar over his interactions with provocative posts on social media, insisting that his intentions have been misconstrued. Provocative Instagram posts were liked by McNally from his official account, including one where a young man doesn't appear to be wearing clothes. This goes after his hypocrisy. And this might be Kearney's finest moment on the show to date.

James Austin Johnson comes on to fill time with random impressions like Batman reading Where's Waldo and Jay-Z downstairs. He has a stockpile of useless two-second impressions. Donald Trump ordering a Negroni is amazing. I like this new trend of cast members coming on as themselves to riff.

Jost recently crossed the nine-year mark as an "Update" anchor. Gary Kroeger recalls: "Colin has done everything almost perfectly. Maybe not even 'almost' but 'perfectly.' He knows where he fits, he knows how to do it, his delivery is polished, his humor and, I believe, humility comes through. He and Michael have been a perfect combination; different deliveries but compatible foils."

"Exorcism"

Mrs. Shaw ( Ego Nwodim ) is upset when she thinks there's a party happening downstairs on a Tuesday night — actually, it's an exorcism. Her neighbors are waiting for Father Murphy to help their possessed daughter. "Y'all don't have to wait for him," says Mrs. Shaw. "I'll do it. You don't scare me sweetie!" After all, she needs to get her eight hours of sleep, and will solve this situation posthaste. When another priest warns that she may be in over her head, Mrs. Shaw says sh'es got this. She's been a crossing guard at a six-lane street for years, so she's uniquely qualified for this job.

Ortega (channeling Linda Blair) levitates off the bed until Shaw takes control, summoning her husband. I like this!

The 1975 perform "Oh Caroline"

Another catchy pop song that was released last year.

"Jingle Pitch"

Two Donalds & Dominguez colleagues (played by Ortega and Bowen Yang) need a catchy jingle to make their workplace's phone number — 1-672-555-0136 — memorable. Their law firm lives and dies on business driven by their TV commercial. Luckily, Ortega and Yang were at Luciano's the other night, where they were introduced to the musical duo Soul Booth (Dismukes and Johnson). Soul Booth drops by the office and presents them with a few ditties — Yang just wants to feel "looched up."

Final thoughts

—Thank you to Gary Kroeger for his thoughts tonight!

—What did you think? Vote here or chime in below.

—Huge RIP to Erin Maroney Fraser, who helped in the development and launch of Conan O'Brien's Late Night and went on to produce many films for Broadway Video, including Tommy Boy, Superstar, Black Sheep , and Wayne's World 2 . Erin also worked as a staff writer for SNL before more recently producing films like Rushed . She will be missed.

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Related content:

• Jenna Ortega vetoed a flash mob during Wednesday dance scene
• SNL newcomer Devon Walker doesn't mind the Pete Davidson comparisons: 'People want to f--- that guy'
• See every Saturday Night Live season 48 host and musical guest

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'SNL' fans say this sketch about road rage is 'one of the best of the season'

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

"Saturday Night Live" fans are calling a seemingly simple greenscreen sketch from the April 1 episode one of the best of the season.

"Traffic Altercation" stars host Quinta Brunson and cast member Mikey Day as they sit in two cars in a traffic jam on the highway.

The scene begins when Day's character starts yelling about Brunson's character almost "plowing into us" to his daughter, played by cast member Chloe Fineman.

"Oh my God dad, don't be so awkward," Fineman's character says from the passenger seat.

Day's character then knocks on the window to get Brunson's character's attention to let her know how he really feels — through shouting and pantomiming, of course. (The skit does contain some profanity and adult language, both spoken and mimed).

"You cut me off," Day's character says, with the help of scissor fingers. "You drive crazy."

Brunson's character replies that she did signal, as her hand mimes a flashing blinker.

Tensions flare as the pair sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic, encapsulating the perfect road-rage story as the pair's hand motions (and insults) get bigger and bigger.

"Eat ... eat my butt," Brunson's character says as she draws a circle around her behind. "This, all of this!"

Still caught in traffic, the two characters eventually get personal: Brunson's character reveals she doesn't have a husband, gesturing that they split up.

"Oh, me too," Day's character responds holding up two fingers. "Wife left."

Brunson's character then has a "crazy" suggestion: "Are you hungry?" she asks Day's character with a coy smile.

He says he could eat, and she asks if he would want to eat... "this butt!" in an ultimate troll maneuver, as her character's mother (Ego Nwodim) pops out from the backseat.

Fans roared with (virtual) laughter in the comments of the video posted on YouTube.

"This was hilarious! One of the best sketches I’ve seen in a while," one commenter wrote.

"One of the best of the season," another commenter wrote. "Quinta killed it tonight, as I knew she would. This sketch was just such an unexpected delight within an already wonderful show."

"This sketch was wildly creative! So original! Please appreciate the incredibly high degree of difficulty a sketch like this is to pull off live," said another commenter. "An instant classic!"

"Probably the best SNL skit in a while," a commenter said. "I knew Quinta was going to kill it."

"Traffic Altercation" wasn't the only timeless moment of the night on "SNL" — Michael Che also pulled a classic April Fools' Day prank on his "Weekend Update" co-host Colin Jost.

Che seemed to get a lot more laughter during his portions of the segment, with Jost receiving little from the audience.

Halfway through the segment, an audience member called out "You stink!" to Jost, who buried his head in his hands and couldn't contain his laughter anymore.

Che revealed, "I told them not to laugh at you for April Fools'."

"I was truly like, 'Am I not mic'd?' And then I was like, 'Oh, I just suck,'" Jost joked.

Jost tried to recover from the prank, but toward the end of the segment he blurted out, "That’s the meanest thing you’ve ever done to me. I’m covered in sweat."

This article was originally published on TODAY.com

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• The Inventory

What’s The Worst Thing That’s Happened To You On A Road Trip?

Nothing says "freedom of the open road" quite like something going unexpectedly wrong..

When road trips go right, you can make some incredible memories. Just you and a buddy or 14 (we rented a 15-passenger van for that one) driving down the open road, loaded up on junk food, stopping at roadside attractions, and taking in sights and landmarks you never would have seen otherwise — what could possibly be better than that?

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Even road trips that aren’t cross-country vacations can be great in their own way. My family and I still reminisce about the time I convinced everyone at the last minute that we should road trip to Wisconsin for Thanksgiving. We initially weren’t going to go since flights for five people were so expensive, but it felt like it would be our last holiday with my grandfather, so we left Athens in our trusty ole Honda Odyssey the evening before and drove overnight, stopping only to change drivers and get gas. It was exhausting, but we made it.

Not all road trips go smoothly, though. Sometimes your car (or motorcycle) breaks down in the middle of south Georgia, forcing you to spend the night in a $50-a-night motel that probably should have been at least $25 cheaper. Sometimes you encounter a deranged Mainiac who tries to run you off the road, only to run into him at breakfast the next morning and get yelled at again. Other times, you get your first official girlfriend right after high school graduation, but when you get back from your Colorado road trip, you find out via MySpace that she broke up with you without telling you.

So, as much as we love road trips, let’s talk about bad things that can sometimes happen on them. Maybe you were late to a friend’s wedding because Google Maps sent you down a washed-out dirt “road” that was too narrow for you to turn around once you realized how bad it was about to get. Maybe you once tried to use nicotine gum to stay awake instead of caffeine and nearly gave yourself a heart attack. Maybe your brother who was definitely old enough to know better had a diarrhea incident in the back seat that made the car smell awful even after he changed and your parents attempted to clean things up.

Whatever it was, we want to hear about it. What’s the worst thing that happened to you on a road trip?

The 46 Best Podcasts for Your Next Road Trip or Long Flight

The podcasts to listen to on your next long drive or plane ride, whether you’re a history nerd, traveling with kids, or just in need of a true-crime fix..

• Copy Link copied

What takes a road trip from good to great? Hours and hours of top-notch podcasts.

Design by Elizabeth See

Summer is made for long leisurely travels: road trips, week-long beach sojourns, multi-country hops. It’s also made for binge-listening some of the most creative, funniest, and thought-provoking podcasts being produced right now.

But there are a lot of podcasts out there. And the big podcast players only surface a handful, based on algorithms and newsworthiness, not necessarily what best suits you, your friends, or your family.

So we’ve done the work for you. Now that you’ve planned your adventure (or maybe not!), here are some of the best podcasts out there, all perfect for your next extended road trip or plane ride, whether you love a good murder mystery, need a family-friendly listen, or want to laugh for miles.

If you like going to unexpected places

Explore curiosities of the world, download the AFAR podcast, and more.

Images courtesy National Park After Dark and AFAR

1. The Atlas Obscura Podcast

• Listen Now : Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Did you know you can visit Hitler’s toilet in a New Jersey car repair shop? Or that there’s a 7-Eleven convenience store in Baltimore, Maryland, marking where the Ouija board was invented? These are the strange facts you’ll glean from the 15-minute-or-less episodes of the daily Atlas Obscura podcast, which also ties classic episodes to current events and does the occasional deep dive into travel’s obscurities.

2. Travel Tales by AFAR

• Listen Now : Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

In season five of Travel Tales by AFAR , we hit the road again. Travel to northern Canada with a polar bear expert, learn what it was like to cycle across the United States with no money or food, and explore the world of rewilding in Argentina. Our podcast is your ticket to the world—no passport required.

3. Unpacked

In Unpacked by AFAR —our second podcast —we explore life’s big questions. In season three, we unpack eclipse travel, budgeting, building confidence around foreign languages, and much more. Watch for our new series, “Unpacking,” where we dive into cities around the world, including Toronto, Albuquerque, and Madison, Wisconsin. Through a mix of interviews and personal stories, we delve into your deepest travel dilemmas. Because the world is complicated. We’re here to help you unpack it .

4. Outside Podcast

• Listen Now : Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Adventurers yearning to learn about epic rescues, endurance athletes, and what it’s really like to be on Naked and Afraid should tune into this weekly podcast from the team at Outside magazine. In the most recent season, the podcast asks if whales are really gentle giants, why cats are taking over New York City, and if golf can be an endurance sport, among many other fascinating topics.

5. Jump With Traveling Jackie

Jackie is the vivacious host of this long-running podcast, on which she discusses her own travel and brings in guests for tips and conversation. Some of Jackie’s most powerful episodes feature unpolished narration from outside the studio in which she explores her own feelings and experiences on the road, whether walking through Jordan or exploring the truck camper life. Dedicating an hour to each topic allows for a deep and expansive dive.

6. National Park After Dark

If Lore was only about stories that had taken place in U.S. national parks , it would sound like this. Hosts Danielle and Cassie are friends who tell each other true tales set in the parks, such as the horrific medical care given at the Battle of Gettysburg, a runner who mysteriously disappeared in Shoshone National Forest, and Diana of the Dunes, a woman who left society to live off the land in what is now Indiana Dunes National Park.

7. Wander Your Way

A classic weekly podcast with a host (Lynn Nieman) who seems to have been everywhere across the pond. She shares excellent travel tips, but her specialty is pointing listeners to the off-the-beaten-path destinations. With Lynn, you’ll visit the Scottish stone circle site Killmartin Glen instead of Stonehenge, and Umbria instead of Tuscany in Italy. A particularly great listen for those who’ve already been to the tourist traps.

If you like fiction

Dive into fictional worlds, from a world where sleep kills to a desert town where every conspiracy theory is true.

Images courtesy Welcome to Night Vale and the Edge of Sleep

8. Welcome to Night Vale

One of the best-known fiction podcasts, about a desert town where every conspiracy theory is true , Welcome to Night Vale has been described as “Lake Woebegone as told by Stephen King.” Twelve years in, the series—which has spawned several books and a fervent fan base—is still going strong at almost 250 episodes! Two drop each month.

9. Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books

Zibby Owens is a publishing powerhouse who posts author interviews once a week. She focuses on books that will appeal to the mom demographic but she casts a wide net, showcasing historical fiction, general interest nonfiction, and self-help as well as the big events in publishing. Each episode introduces listeners to an author and their process, sparking interest in books widely available, making that next to trip to the library or bookstore even more fun.

10. LeVar Burton Reads

• Listen Now : Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Lovers of short fiction should check out LeVar Burton Reads. Yes, THE LeVar Burton, of Reading Rainbow, Roots, Jeopardy! , and Star Trek fame, whose velvety warm voice encouraged youngster millennials and Gen Z-ers to embrace their love of reading. For each of his 150-plus episodes, he selects a short story he loves and reads it, in episodes that last up to an hour, with immersive audio effects: the snaps of twigs in the woods, the snarl of traffic on a New York City street.

11. Birds of Empire

From Qcode Media comes a fictional podcast set in New Dakota in 15,000 C.E., thousands of years after the fall of human civilization. Four heroes arise, from the tribes of what was once South Dakota, one each from the Wolves, the Bears, the Rams, and the Birds, powered by the myths of the world as it was, seeking what it could come to be. As that description implies, this podcast, now entering its second season, is perfect for fantasy lovers.

If it’s all about the comedy (and culture)

12. don’t ask tig.

Beloved comedian Tig Notaro offers a kind of anti-advice show: She constantly reminds listeners not to ask her for advice and yet they continue to do so, asking questions that range from the silly (Help! I don’t like tea—how do I turn it down?) to the more profound (Help! My mother wants to move in with us. What do I do?). Then she and her celebrity guests give answering them their best shot, anyway.

13. Las Culturistas

Powered by a recent viral Tina Fey appearance, Las Culturistas is hipper than ever. Since 2016, comedians Matt Rogers and SNL ’s Bowen Yang have hosted hundreds of episodes, mixing deep dives into pop culture, fun bickering, celebrity guests, and plenty of criticism (such as the recurring minute-long game “I Don’t Think So, Honey!” about frustrating social and cultural phenomena).

14. Pop Culture Happy Hour

When you need a quick hit of cultural insight, whether it’s an overview of a new movie or TV show, or a read on the newest Taylor Swift re-recording, NPR’s weekday review show will help. A rotating array of hosts with unexpected opinions keeps it fresh, and they shake up the round-table format often enough to keep it an engaging daily listen. Episodes never top 30 minutes.

15. You Are Good

Hosts Sarah Marshall (of You’re Wrong About fame) and Alex Steed discuss popular movies of the last 50 years from a fan’s perspective, leading to thoughtful (and funny) discussions of topics that are cultural, personal, and metaphysical. Marshall and Steed are joined by a writer or fellow podcaster who chooses a favorite film to discuss—topics have included Everything Everywhere All at Once , Newsies , and Jesus Christ Superstar.

16. How Did This Get Made?

In this Earwolf podcast, three popular comedians (Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, Jason Mantzoukas) ask the titular question about recent films. Their famous, funny friends, like Nicole Byer, Cameron Esposito, and Joel Kim Booster, stop by to help analyze “classics” like Road House and Fifty Shades of Grey. Let’s just say that these folks don’t talk like they want to keep working in Hollywood.

17. Talk Art

British actor Russell Tovey and gallerist Robert Diament talk to artists, art fans, and other folks connected to visual art, including big names like Ryan Murphy and Judy Chicago, in hour-long episodes. The unique combination of Tovey’s appreciation for artists of another genre and Diament’s art world experience makes for a winning and educational show.

18. Go Fact Yourself

This hilarious podcast is also a game show that’s recorded live twice a month. Hosts J. Keith Van Strataan and Helen Hong quiz a visiting celebrity (such as Drew Carey) on their self-proclaimed area of expertise (in Carey’s case, the conversation drills down on game shows). In about an hour, you’ll be charmed by the quick wit and erudition. There are some 150 episodes to keep you entertained.

19. If Books Could Kill

Ever wonder if those airport pop-psychology bestsellers are worth your time? Hosts Michael Hobbes ( Maintenance Phase) and Peter Shamshiri ( 5-4 Podcast) are here to tell you that those books are most definitely not. Each episode is a witheringly smart and funny read of such tomes as Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers and Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In. While their obvious hatred for these books drives the show, Hobbes and Shamshiri’s hilarious, discursive, and digressive banter is what makes the trip fun.

If you like interviews

Listen to conversations about earworms from the 1990s and navigating the world as women of color.

Images courtesy Latina to Latina and 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s

20. Ologies

Tune in to science journalist Alie Ward’s fascinating conversations with various researchers who specialize in the “-ology” of each episode. Lately, they’ve delved into ancient Rome, black holes, and capybaras! She also includes “Smologies” in the feed, which are 15 to 30–minute bite-size shows (compared to the hour-plus full episodes) and a good way for new listeners to dig in.

21. Latina to Latina

Journalist and host Alicia Menendez welcomes Latinas like activist Paula Ávila-Guillén, actor Gina Rodriguez, and former U.N. General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces to talk about life, challenges, and successes while navigating the world as women of color. Latina to Latina ’ s weekly half-hour episodes have been running since April 2018 so there are plenty to choose from.

22. WTF with Marc Maron

Launched all the way back in 2009, this OG podcast remains vital. Comedian Maron’s in-depth interviews with famous guests are funny, compelling, and revealing. The guest list is more diverse these days: Hong Chau, Michelle Yeoh, Lily Gladstone, and Radhika Jones have appeared on the show in recent seasons.

23. 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s

The Ringer staff writer Rob Harvilla wrapped up his exploration into the music that made the 1990s earlier this year. Each episode focused on a classic, like “Whoop! There It Is!” or “Semi-Charmed Life.” (Sorry for the earworms!) Harvilla always included an interview with someone connected to the song, from super-fans who love the artist to music producers who explained why a song is particularly compelling. But the real appeal remains Harvilla’s own heartfelt memories of how these songs shaped him.

Host Cameron Esposito is a comedian and queer activist. In each episode of this now-concluded podcast, they sit down with a fascinating guest to discuss LGBTQ+ issues. From figure skater Adam Rippon to actor/comedian Mae Martin, the guest list is wide-ranging and touches on most aspects of queer identity. Stand-out episodes include a visit from astrologer Chani Nicholas (who discusses Esposito’s birth chart) and drag queen Trixie Mattel (who talks about Provincetown and peeing while dressed in drag). Because the show has finished its run, it feels like a completed body of work.

25. Normal Gossip

Host Kelsey McKinney welcomes a guest to share, discuss, debate, and laugh at a story of utterly banal (and yet somehow deeply juicy) reader-submitted gossip, such as a years-long family contretemps over . . . what to call Grandma? Each episode is equal parts hilarious and confounding and truly leaves no aspect of the gossip undiscussed.

If You’re Traveling With Kids

Among the top podcast for kids are two that place girls firmly at the center, including Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls and the Story Seeds Podcast .

Images courtesy Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls and Story Seeds

26. WOW in the World

From Tinkercast, and supported by NPR, WOW in the World is an educational kids show cohosted by Guy Raz and author Mindy Thomas. Learn about black holes, supergerms, AI, and more in every episode, which hits the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of the day’s theme in a tone best suited for elementary grades.

27. The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd

This very long-running series—it launched in 2004 and now has 800 episodes—is like an old-timey radio program crossed with Mystery Science Theater 3000 , then given an educational spin. In every episode, Dr. Floyd tries to foil the villain Dr. Steve . . . and laughs (and learning) happen along the way. The evocation of radio sound effects from another era is particularly delightful. And it’s fun for all ages!

28. Who, When, Wow!

An engaging look at obscure historical stories, hosted by “aspiring time travel detective” Carly Q. Recent episodes dug deep into the mysterious disappearance of bank robber D. B. Cooper and why the pineapple is a symbol of welcome. Episodes run about a half-hour and are perfect for kids ages eight and up. The podcast website provides additional activities, too.

29. A Way with Words

Slang, new words, dialects, grammar, and word games are a few of the topics that journalist Martha Barnette and lexicographer Grant Barrett discuss on their long-running podcast. They answer callers’ questions about words, discuss vocabulary that’s appeared in the news, and ponder linguistic curiosities from around the world. While not specifically designed for children, the pair have created a fun, educational, and family-friendly show.

30. Ear Snacks

Roughly once a month, Andrew and Polly pick a topic (fruit! space!) and write a 30-minute episode around it, including original songs. A recent episode exploring colors, rainbows, and the Holi holiday is a true standout . The New York Times says this is one of the best podcasts for kids, and it’s hard to argue with the guaranteed happy ear worms the duo produces—there’s a reason why they’ve been nominated for Grammys.

31. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls

These 20-minute-ish episodes featuring narration about the lives of inspiring women are a good listen for kids ages six and up and for grown-ups, too. It’s a self-described “fairy-tale podcast” that explores famous figures like Frida Kahlo , Harriet Tubman, and Celia Cruz. A recent miniseries called “Growing Up Powerful” teaches wellness through several lenses.

32. Brains On!

American Public Media’s science podcast is for curious kids (and adults). Each episode poses an intriguing question—Do plants sleep? How do hearing aids work? Why do we have friends?—and spends a half-hour or so answering it. The series does a good job of publishing in tune with current events, such as a solar eclipse episode this past April.

If you like true crime

33. think twice.

This 10-episode podcast exploring Michael Jackson’s complicated life and myriad controversies is hosted by journalist Leon Neyfakh and hip-hop commentator Jay Smooth, who work through their own complex feelings about the artist and accused child molester. Managing to be both compassionate and hard-hitting, the series will shake your convictions about Jackson, whatever they may be.

34. Last Seen

After spending their first season exploring the famous Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist in Boston, the hosts of Last Seen (all Boston Globe or WBUR journalists) have turned their attention to other mysterious local cases. Each episode takes a deep dive into a particular event or person, from a murder in Haitian Boston to the “Jesse James of New England Community Theatre.” No prior knowledge of Boston is required. Just listen.

As concepts for podcasts go, a show in which a hairstylist and an autopsy technician poke around crime and its many related topics is already a winner. Hosts Ash and Alaina are relatives and friends, both obsessed with the, well, morbid. Each episode is a spellbinding mix of goofy humor, genuine creepiness, and assertive knowledge. Check out the recent episode about the death of Steven Robards for proof. Turns out, his teenage daughter killed him. But was it an accident—or murder?

36. Stuff the British Stole

This popular Australian podcast from the CBC has the tagline: “Throughout its reign, the British Empire stole a lot of stuff.” From that winning premise, the completed series explains why so many treasures from so many other countries ended up in the British Museum and other sites throughout the United Kingdom. Journalist Marc Fennell digs into stories as varied as the real life of Pocahontas (who was infamously stolen by the British, in a sense, from the then-American colonies) and that of an Ethiopian prince—buried on the grounds of Windsor Castle, after he was kidnapped from his home country—with a delightfully cheeky tone.

37. The Murder in My Family

For a different perspective on true crime, try this powerful show, which focuses on the families of murder victims. In each episode, a family member shares the story of how their loved one’s death has affected them. Their ongoing attempts to understand and accept what has happened makes for riveting listening, and the hour-long episodes allow for a more nuanced view.

38. Ridiculous Crime

For those who prefer true crime without all that murder business, we have a podcast for you. Hosts Zaron Burnett and Elizabeth Dutton share hour-long episodes of, yes, ridiculous crimes. Con artists, jewelry thieves, and bank robbers all get their hilarious due. Recent episodes unpacked the weird reasons musicians get arrested and the tiger king of Harlem, who raised a tiger (and a few other wild animals) in his fifth-floor New York City apartment.

If you like stories about famous people

39. comments by celebs.

Specializing in people who are famous (and famous for being famous), this podcast thrives on of-the-moment celebrity gossip, with a heavy emphasis on the Kardashians and any breaking news in the world of Taylor Swift. Hosts Emma Diamond and Julie Kramer are experts on these celebs and provide context and even nuance around the doings of the Vanderpumps, Paris Hilton, Megan Fox, and many other people whose names you know even if you don’t quite know why.

40. Super Soul

Still miss Oprah on your TV? Well, great news: she’s got a podcast, and it feels pretty perfect to listen to her soulful explorations in audio form. The show is meant to help listeners connect with their inner lives and the world around them. Oprah personally selects episodes from her collection of interviews with celebrities, authors, wellness experts, and world leaders—such as Deepak Chopra and Shirley MacLaine—to help you access your best self.

41. Office Ladies

Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer (who played Angela and Pam, respectively, on the sitcom The Office ) are also real-life BFFs. On this warm, cozy show, they discuss each episode of the series—they’re now on Season 9!—sharing both behind-the-scenes details and thoughtful analysis. Their banter is warm and delightful, making this a fun choice even for folks who never got into the show, and the occasional guest star from the series dials up the fun.

If you’re a history buff

Dive into the archives of the Smithsonian, dig into juicy scandals, and explore historical events with comedians.

Images courtesy Crash Course Black American History and Sidedoor

42. You’re Wrong About

Hindsight is 20/20—and it’s particularly interesting to revisit the events and public figures of the past with a modern perspective. That’s how host Sarah Marshall approaches her podcast , which reconsiders topics like the Terry Schiavo case, Yoko Ono and the Beatles, and an ongoing, discursive exploration of the O.J. Simpson case. Adventurer Blair Braverman is their “survival correspondent,” and in a recent episode, they took a close look at the Uruguayan rugby team whose plane crashed into the Andes—it’s spellbinding listening.

43. Sidedoor

The Smithsonian has more than 157 million artifacts in its collection, and its Sidedoor podcast offers the best possible insider access. Host Lizzie Peabody invites listeners in, speaking with scientists, artists, historians, and others to explore topics like the world’s oldest winery, the life of hip-hop artist J Dilla, and an ingenious machine that harvests algae and converts it to biomass—which could one day power your iPhone. Another plus? It’s family friendly.

44. Slow Burn

Slate’s astoundingly well-researched long-form narrative series has looked at Watergate, the Clinton impeachment, the Biggie-Tupac beef, and the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court hearings. Each season, a different host builds a fascinating, multi-layered look at the topic, bringing in key voices through interviews. No matter what you think you already know about the subject, you’re sure to learn more. Next up? The Briggs Initiative (season nine, launching in May) and the rise of Fox News (season 10, out in late 2024).

45. Crash Course Black American History

Writer Clint Smith hosts this 50-episode podcast, which wrapped at the end of 2022. It provides a nuanced and comprehensive history class on Black America in relatively short (15 minutes long) episodes. Smith starts with the arrival of the first enslaved people to what would become the United States and concludes with the Black Lives Matter movement.

46. The British History Podcast

Setting out on a lengthy road trip? Start at the beginning of this 430-plus-episode (and growing) podcast. Host and writer Jamie Jeffers continues to make his stately, and fascinating, way through British history. He began with the end of the last ice age and recently arrived at Prince Robert’s rebellion against his father, William the Conqueror, in the 11th century. In other words: There are miles to go before the sun sets on the British Empire. This story originally published in 2018. It was most recently on May 1, 2024, to include current information.

Pope Francis visits Venice, says his work isn't easy

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• Pope makes flying visit to Venice, first trip of 2024
• Meets prisoners, youngsters and artists
• Three more Italy trips planned before major Asia tour

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The Swiss government said on Thursday that "at this stage" Russia is not among the 160 delegations invited to talks to be held in Switzerland in mid-June aimed at helping bring about peace in the conflict between Moscow and Ukraine.

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Biden thinks he can flip North Carolina, polls show a rough road

Since 1968, North Carolina has backed only two Democrats for president: Jimmy Carter in 1976 and Barack Obama in 2008.

Anthony Davis: Lakers Want To Go Undefeated On Upcoming Road Trip

A nthony Davis was dominant on Sunday night as the Los Angeles Lakers picked up their third consecutive win with a 150-145 victory over the Indiana Pacers . Davis finished with 36 points and 16 rebounds in the win as the Lakers finally seem to be rounding into their best form of the year at the right time.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, it has done little to help them in the standings as the teams right above them continue to win as well. LeBron James has previously said that the Lakers have to focus solely on what they can control and while Davis admitted it’s impossible not to peek at the standings, he echoed that same sentiment.

“A little. I mean, it’s everywhere right now, but for us, we’re just trying to control what we can, and that’s winning one game at a time,” Davis said. “Obviously, we try to look and figure out how far we are behind the sixth seed, but you stress yourself out.

“Putting too much pressure on yourself and constantly looking at it but we’re ninth right now so we just got to continue to play our style of basketball and focus on us and take it one game at a time and worry about winning that game and if we continuously do that, then the rest will take care of itself.”

The Lakers certainly need to keep that focus as they are set to embark on a six-game road trip that kicks off Tuesday night in Milwaukee. How they perform on this trip will completely decide if there is any chance at moving up in the standings and Davis said the plan is to go undefeated.

“Six. We want to win every game,” Davis added. “I think on this trip, we beat everybody… So we know we’re capable, but it’s the road. It’s going to be tough, but we got the capability of winning each game. We got to approach it that way.”

There is no doubt that the Lakers have shown they can hang with any team on any given night, but getting those types of performances consistently has been the issue. Davis continuing to play at this level would go a long way towards the Lakers reaching that goal and having a very successful road trip.

Anthony Davis not happy with Lakers’ defensive performance vs. Pacers

Getting the win over the Pacers was the most important thing, but that doesn’t mean the Lakers’ performance was perfect. In particular, while the Lakers scored 150 points, they also gave up 145, which didn’t sit well with Anthony Davis.

“We allowed them to score 145. That’s a big fourth quarter from them, 46 I think,” Davis noted. “Terrible defensively. I mean, they hit some shots towards the end, some deep 3s.

“We can do what we want offensively, as you can see tonight, but we got to be able to defend, especially when we got to team up like that, try to give them no life. At this point in the season, when there’s a win, we’ll take it. But we got to learn from it as well.”

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Navigate Your Career Path Like the Road Trip of a Lifetime

• Carole-Ann Penney

Leave space for spontaneous detours and exploration.

Over the past few years, the way we work has changed. Recent data show that working in a single company, or staying confined to a single job title, for several years is becoming rarer. Not everyone’s career paths will be traditional and resemble a climb up a mountain. And that’s okay. We need a new way to approach our careers, one that allows us to be nimble and resilient. Why not  approach your paths like the road trip of a lifetime — to build an intentional career path that is unique, enjoyable, and adaptive to change.

• Get in the driver’s seat. You don’t have to be confined to a predetermined path and you don’t have to stay on a single track — you can curate a portfolio of experiences. You can embark on a diverse and adventurous journey filled with discovery.
• Know that the plan is iterative. When you set off on a road trip, you don’t plug your ultimate destination into the GPS and drive there as quickly and directly as possible. You ask yourself some key questions about what you want to experience along the journey: What kinds of places do I want to visit? What do I want to see and experience? When you embark on your career, know that it is okay to make detours.
• Be open to unexpected opportunities and load up your trunk. On a  road trip, change is expected — that’s what makes it a rich adventure. Approach your career path with openness to unforeseen possibilities and seize them. You can even loop back to revisit somewhere you’ve been before with fresh eyes and new experience under your belt. As you explore, practice articulating the connections between where you’ve been and where you’re going. You should learn how to transfer your unique skills to each new role, as they can make you an asset in new spaces.

Gloria, a client of mine, thought her career path would be traditional and resemble a climb up a mountain. She aimed to follow the steps to success: First, she would choose a mountain by picking a field of work. Then, she would put in her time and build specialized skills. Next, she would shoot for the summit. She’d always been told that when you’re aiming to grow, there’s no room for stagnation or complacency, only linear advancement.

• Carole-Ann Penney is a coach and trainer who helps mission-driven leaders navigate their careers with purpose and resilience. As the Founder of Penney Leadership  and a facilitator for Harvard Business Publishing’s corporate leadership development programs, Carole Ann guides professionals at all levels to step into their authentic leadership and craft an impactful career path that aligns with who they are.

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