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Barbara Walters strikes back on 'Saturday Night Live'

Charlize Theron may have been the host of "Saturday Night Live" this week, but it was veteran journalist and "The View" co-host Barbara Walters who stole the show with her surprise appearance.As "SNL" honored Walters in the Weekend Update segment with clips of the comedy show's past send-ups of her, the TV personality rolled in next to Cecily Strong. "Cecily, thank you for that ... uhh ... tribut

Charlize Theron may have been the host of "Saturday Night Live" this week, but it was veteran journalist and "The View" co-host Barbara Walters who stole the show with her surprise appearance.

As "SNL" honored Walters in the Weekend Update segment with clips of the comedy show's past send-ups of her, the TV personality rolled in next to Cecily Strong. 

"Cecily, thank you for that ... uhh ... tribute," Walters, who is retiring on May 16, started. "What an honor it was to see my groundbreaking career in journalism reduced to a cartoon character with a ridiculous voice."

When Strong noted that the 84-year-old was a "personal inspiration to (her) as a news anchor," Walters shot back, "Well, but I'm a real news anchor. ... I'm not like some fake anchor like you."

Oh, snap!

But the veteran did give Strong a few interviewing tips before signing off, including "develop a signature voice that no one will forget" (Baba Wawa, anyone?) and the best way to interview a celebrity. 


"It is fine to make people smile, but the real money is in making them cry!" Walters advised enthusiastically. "Nothing brings in the viewers like seeing a celebrity reduced to tears. You may think, awww, I'm feeling really bad for them, but all I'm thinking is, 'Ka-ching!'"

Theron may have been upstaged, but she had a few memorable sketches of her own. She hid her good looks in several of them, and in the pretaped bit "Tourists," the actress — disguised in a fat suit — even baffled New York tourists.

And while the award-winning actress is known for her talents — including modeling and producing, to name a few — there is one thing she can't do, and that's sing. Theron admitted to viewers that she learned of this fact when she last hosted "SNL" in 2000, so naturally, during her opening monologue, she sang with the cast.

Fortunately for viewers, the Black Keys — who can sing — were on hand to provide some on-key vocals later in the show.

The season finale of "Saturday Night Live" airs next week at 11:30 on NBC. Alum Andy Samberg will return to host for the first time, with St. Vincent as the musical guest.

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