Ayo Edebiri's path to hosting 'Saturday Night Live' almost hit a snag when a four-year-old podcast episode resurfaced, but she turned the potential scandal into a charm offensive.
- May 22, 2024
AceShowbiz - Ayo Edebiri's exhilarating ride towards hosting "Saturday Night Live" (SNL) this February faced an unexpected challenge when an old podcast episode came back to haunt her. The 2020 episode of Laci Mosley's "Scam Goddess" podcast featured Edebiri making biting remarks about Jennifer Lopez, who coincidentally was the musical guest on the same SNL night Edebiri was hosting.
In the podcast, Edebiri responded to Mosley's claim that Lopez's "whole career is one long scam" by questioning Lopez's involvement in her music. "Well, that's the thing - she thinks she's on multiple tracks, but it's not her. I think she thinks that she's still good, even though she's not singing for most of these songs... J. Lo didn't have time to make it to the studio. Doing what? Not singing, obviously," Edebiri said.
This resurfaced episode quickly sparked rumors of behind-the-scenes tension between Edebiri and Lopez. However, speaking to Vanity Fair, Edebiri brushed off the claims as absurd, stating, "That would be like Mr. Bean and Mick Jagger beefing, and I'm obviously Mr. Bean. She's J. Lo! She was very chill and nice about it."
Lopez, speaking to Variety, recounted how Edebiri came to her dressing room, deeply apologetic and in tears. "She was mortified and very sweet. She came to my dressing room and apologized with tears in her eyes, saying how terrible it was that she had said those things... She was just like, 'I'm so f**king sorry, it was so awful of me,' " Lopez revealed.
Despite the drama, Lopez was unfazed, noting, "I've heard similar things said about me throughout my career, so it really didn't affect me."
Edebiri didn't shy away from addressing the controversy head-on during her "SNL" episode. Participating in a game show sketch, she humorously echoed her prior misstep by having her character admit, "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. 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."
Reflecting on the experience, Edebiri shared that it did not overshadow the achievement of hosting "SNL". "SNL is something that in my bones, I dreamed of as a comedian, as a young kid. That to me is a pinnacle of success," she exclaimed. Fans can look forward to seeing more of Edebiri, as she returns for the third season of "The Bear" on June 27, with a fourth season already in the pipeline.
