One of the most talked about sketches from the season premiere of Saturday Night Live was its hilariously spot-on parody of The Drew Barrymore Show. Cast member Chloe Fineman nailed the host's unique voice, specific mannerisms, and bubbly personality, which had fans praising her uncanny impersonation skills. But while the sketch is pretty kind to the actor-turned-talk-show-host, not everyone likes to be sent up on national TV. So what does Drew Barrymore think of the SNL parody of her show? Well, she invited Fineman to join her for an interview and shared her thoughts on the impression.
As it turns out, they're all positive. At the top of their socially distanced chat on Monday, Barrymore told Fineman that she was "really nervous" to meet her because she's "such a fan" of the comedian. ("I'm actually shaking a little bit!") They talked about what inspired Fineman to hone her Barrymore in the first place, which was her August InStyle cover. (The comedian debuted the bit on Instagram before it made its way to SNL.)
The host said she feared she was "immediately going to drive [Fineman] away" with her enthusiasm, since she reposted that first video so quickly. And the SNL sketch only increased her admiration, since Fineman also plays all of the show's guests. "I mean, your Nicole Kidman... that's Nicole Kidman!" Barrymore raved.
The mutual love fest ended with Barrymore giving Fineman her blessing to keep impersonating her on SNL.
"I hope you'll keep doing this on the show," she said. "You're my holey-moley-oley for life, and I'm so thrilled you're here."
Keep reading to learn how other celebs feel about their SNL counterparts. And for the stars you loved growing up, here are The Biggest '90s TV Teen Idols, Then and Now.
1 | Kathie Lee Gifford
Kathy Hutchins/ShutterstockNow to a talk show host who wasn't quite as honored by being parodied. In 2009, Today host Kathie Lee Gifford watched a clip of Kristen Wiig playing her on SNL and responded live on the air. "Everyone seems to enjoy it," she said, as reported by Us Weekly, "but I don't think it's that funny." She later wondered why Wiig couldn't "get another job."
And for a recent controversy live from Saturday night, check out "SNL" Cancels Country Star's Debut for Breaking COVID Rules.
2 | Alex Trebek
AB Forces News Collection/Alamy Stock PhotoCelebrity Jeopardy was a staple of '00s SNL, featuring Will Ferrell as an exasperated Alex Trebek trying to keep the ship afloat. In a 2012 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actual host said that one of the questions he's most commonly asked at tapings is what he thinks about the sketch. "And I say the same thing every time: I love it," he recalled. "I wish he was back on the show so he would do more."
"I told him how much I enjoyed his work as me on the program, and he was quite taken that I had noticed," Trebek also said about dropping by for Ferrell's last show as a cast member.
And for more serious news on the Jeopardy host, here are The Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms Alex Trebek Wished He'd Known Sooner.
3 | Ruth Bader Ginsburg
AlamyThe late Supreme Court Justice went on record as a fan of Kate McKinnon's impression of her. "I liked the actress who portrayed me, and I would like to say 'Gins-burn' sometimes to my colleagues," Ruth Bader Ginsburg said during a Q&A with NPR at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018, per The Hill.
4 | Denzel Washington
Jamie Lamor Thompson/ShutterstockHis freakishly accurate Denzel Washington was a highlight of Jay Pharoah'sSNL run. And the acclaimed actor was as big of a fan of it as anyone. "I think the kid is very talented," he told Access Hollywood during Pharoah's first season. "I'd seen him before that. He's got a thing on YouTube where he does me talking to Will Smith. He's very good at both."
And for more legends like Washington, check out The Biggest Male Icon Every Year Since You Were Born.
5 | Anthony Fauci
AlamyWhen the infectious disease expert was asked who he'd like to play him on Saturday Night Live, Anthony Fauci, MD, shot high, requesting Oscar winner Brad Pitt. And he got him. Later, in an interview on Un Nuevo Dia, Fauci gave his review, saying, “I think he did great," per Deadline.
"I think he showed that he is really a class guy when at the end he took off his hair and thanked me and all of the health care workers," he added. "So, not only is he a really great actor but he is actually a classy person."
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