I'm still thinking about Trisha Paytas on SNL two weeks later
Written by Jamilla Philson
Image courtesy of NBC / SNL“ Spotify Wrapped” Sketch
It was safe to say that Paul Mescal’s SNL episode two weeks ago would be a certified hit. There’s nothing the girls love more than an Irishman who plays an emotionally distraught character going through the throes of life, right? Much to my surprise, the next Sunday morning when I normally watch the rerun – fully rested and with a coffee mug gripped in hand –, was the shocking guest appearance of the Internet’s mother, Trisha Paytas.
Featured in a parody called“ Spotify Wrapped”, I believe this was the most culturally significant SNL moment our generation has witnessed thus far. At least the most iconic moment for SNL history in the 21st century. It features a group of people discussing how embarrassing their Spotify Wrapped is and they refuse to share it, everyone except Paul Mescal’s character. His most listened to is a fictional anti-instrumentalist sound guru from Dundalk, Maryland, Satoshi Gutmann (played by Bowen Yang). Satoshi is known for his hit song“ Y’all Made Me Celibate.” While the gang is discussing, a collective gasp is heard off camera. A normal person might think this is just a general reaction to the sketch. Wrong. They cut to a clip on the other set of Satoshi Gutman’s podcast with a“ friend of the pod” Trisha Paytas. The crowd cheerfully applauds.
Image courtesy of Stereogum
Historically, SNL has boasted the likes of celebrities such as athletes, actors, and even politicians. Sure, SNL parodies many Internet-related dramas and trends, but never has an Internet personality so big been featured in such a momentous way. If anything, she is made for this exact thing. Trisha Paytas might just be the internet’s most interesting person. She is involved in the nichest bits of the internet zeitgeist: Amy Winehouse’s“ Tears Dry on Their Own” music video, Eminem’s “We Made You” music video, Nathan Fielder’s Nathan For You, Ellen, and My Strange Addiction. If anything, this demonstrates how much the line is blurring between who we categorize and view as celebrities. This is also being represented in mainstream media as we see cameos, commercials, and media filled with Internet personalities. The resurgence of SNL and it becoming funny again is due to the diverse groups of people it chooses to represent, and as Gen-Z gets older, more elements of our humor, culture, and lives are intertwined into the media we want to see. I thank Bowen Yang for that contribution.
This has still been blowing my mind two weeks later because there has always been a border between what is classified as a celebrity. Ever since the rise of social media we have been teetering that border. Her appearance on SNL feels like an inside joke to the chronically online, but it also reinforces the notion that the Internet is the driver of culture. We’ve seen this past summer Kamala Harris’s campaign driven by Brat-themed coconut memes which crossed the mainstream and shown on CNN. Jake Tapper had to explain to America what it means to be“ brat” and how that resonated with Gen-Z viewers. This guest appearance felt so culturally impactful for me because Trisha isn’t a“ nepo baby” by any means, she hasn't been handed this fame. She had to do some pretty traumatic things to get there, but in 2024, after 10+ years on the internet, she is exactly where she always pictured her life to be. It is a classic underdog story. It gives me hope for those everyday people who may be put at a societal disadvantage especially when it comes to achieving their dreams.
