In her welcomed return to “Saturday Night Live,” Kate McKinnon revived a few funny characters from her time on the show, including cat lady Barbara DeDrew.
McKinnon took the stage at Studio 8H as host on Dec. 16, marking her grand return to the sketch comedy series after she departed in 2022. The 39-year-old comedian created many beloved characters during her 11-year run and some of them made appearances in skits throughout the night.
In the “Whiskers R We” sketch, McKinnon brought back fan-favorite Barbara DeDrew and she was joined by musical guest Billie Eilish.
During her time on “SNL,” McKinnon frequently played Barbara, a proud cat lover, alongside celebrity guests like Reese Witherspoon, Amy Adams and Kristen Wiig.
This time, she teamed up with Eilish, who played an intern named Paw-bree Hep-purrn who helped Barbara show off the cats up for adoption at their “Holiday Cat-tacular.” The two donned curly wigs and glasses while speaking in silly voices.
“A cat is a gift you have to feed,” Barbara says as the clip begins.
Paw-bree adds, “A cat is a friend who’s very mad at you.”
After picking up and cuddling an adorable cat named Jeffrey, Barbara jokes he’s, “an Abyssinian, as in I’ll be seeing him in hell for destroying my couch.”
Paw-bree introduces a few cats too, like Mrs. Claus, who is wearing a Christmas hat, and Cindy Claw-ford.
As the two continue to present their feline friends, they learn they have a lot in common.
They both say that “Tár” is the best movie, “tush” is their favorite curse word and that Mariska Hargitay is their most beloved actor.
After showing off Maris-cat Hargitay, Barbara suddenly says to Paw-bree, “Sorry if I seem a little out of it, I think you’re my daughter.”
Then, Eilish starts to laugh and almost breaks character when she is handed a guinea pig.
“This is Lula,” she says before giggling. “Lula is a British Shorthair who has deformed herself, beyond recognition, with plastic surgery.”
At the end of the skit, the newfound mother-daughter duo decide they should move in together and exchange cats as Christmas presents.
“When Santa’s not looking, fill his bag with cats,” Paw-bree says. In unison, Paw-bree and Barbara squeal, “At Whiskers R We!”
McKinnon and Eilish previously shared the screen in a sketch about hotel workers in December 2021.
Beneath the “Whiskers R We” video, viewers celebrated seeing the duo back together and complimented the pair on their comedic chemistry.
“Let us thank SNL for the amazing duo that is Kate and Billie. Hotel workers and now Cat Ladies, I’m dying,” one person commented on YouTube.
Another suggested, “We need billie AND kate to host, they are absolutely hilarious together.”