The 7 Most Iconic Ana Gasteyer SNL Skits That Prove Her Comedy Genius

Few comedians possess the combination of vocal talent, physical comedy, and pitch-perfect character work that Ana Gasteyer brought to *Saturday Night Live* during her tenure from 1996 to 2002. Her six seasons on the show cemented her as one of the most versatile performers of her era, often overshadowed by the high-energy antics of her co-stars but delivering a consistent stream of dry, deeply observed, and hilarious characters. As of late 2025, her most iconic sketches continue to be celebrated in retrospectives, proving her lasting impact on the show’s legacy and influencing a new generation of performers. This deep dive explores the absolute best of Ana Gasteyer’s contributions to the legendary sketch comedy series, from her beloved recurring characters to the celebrity impressions that were so spot-on they became the definitive parody. We’ll look at the sketches that define her comedic genius and the one she recently revealed was her personal favorite.

Ana Gasteyer: Full Biography and Career Profile

Ana Kristina Gasteyer is an American actress, comedian, and singer best known for her time as a cast member on *Saturday Night Live* and her subsequent work in television and musical theater.

• Full Name: Ana Kristina Gasteyer
• Date of Birth: May 4, 1967
• Place of Birth: Washington, D.C., U.S.
• Education: Northwestern University (Majored in speech, theater, and performance studies)
• SNL Tenure: 1996–2002 (Seasons 22–27)
• Notable SNL Characters: Margaret Jo McCullen, Bobbi Mohan-Culp, Cinder Calhoun, Ginger Attebury
• Notable SNL Impressions: Celine Dion, Martha Stewart, Hillary Clinton, Joan Rivers, Kathy Griffin
• Post-SNL Career Highlights: Starring roles in the sitcoms *Suburgatory* and *People of Earth*, the film *Mean Girls*, and a celebrated career in musical theater, including playing Elphaba in the Broadway production of *Wicked*. She is also a professional jazz and holiday album singer.

The Definitive List: Ana Gasteyer’s 7 Best SNL Skits and Characters

Gasteyer’s strength lay in her ability to play characters who were either oblivious, intensely earnest, or subtly unhinged. She excelled at creating a world around her character, making even the most absurd scenarios feel grounded. Her best sketches are a masterclass in comedic restraint and timing.

1. NPR’s Delicious Dish: “Schweddy Balls”

This is, without a doubt, the sketch that defines Ana Gasteyer’s *SNL* career. Playing the dry, overly polite, and utterly bland radio host Margaret Jo McCullen, Gasteyer anchored the recurring "NPR's Delicious Dish" segment. Alongside her co-host, Teri Rialto (Molly Shannon), the duo would discuss food with a level of hushed reverence that perfectly parodied public radio.

• The Unseen Story Jessica Simpsons Battle For Privacy And Body Image In A Digital Age Mlvqa

The Christmas 1998 installment, featuring Alec Baldwin as baker Pete Schweddy, is the most famous. The entire sketch revolves around the hosts and Schweddy discussing his holiday treat: "Schweddy Balls." Gasteyer’s ability to deliver increasingly suggestive double entendres—such as "No one can resist my Schweddy Balls"—with a completely straight, earnest face is what makes the sketch a timeless holiday classic and a cornerstone of *SNL* history.

2. Celine Dion on VH1’s “Divas Live”

Ana Gasteyer’s impression of the Canadian singing icon Celine Dion is a work of art. Rather than simply mimicking her voice, Gasteyer captured Dion's over-the-top theatricality and thinly veiled narcissism. In these sketches, often set at a “Divas Live” concert or a talk show, Gasteyer's Dion would repeatedly declare, in a thick French-Canadian accent, “I ’ave the best voice… in the world!” The impression was so definitive that it remains one of the most memorable musical parodies in *SNL* history, and Gasteyer's vocal prowess made the actual singing portions eerily accurate and hilarious.

3. The Bobbi Mohan-Culp and Marty Culp Musical Duo

The Culp family sketches are a testament to Gasteyer's chemistry with Will Ferrell. As Bobbi Mohan-Culp, a perpetually enthusiastic and slightly off-key middle school music teacher, she and Ferrell (as her husband Marty) would perform bizarrely sanitized and heavily modulated versions of contemporary songs, often at school assemblies or public events. The sketches are a brilliant parody of suburban earnestness and bad local talent, with Gasteyer’s Bobbi always performing with a blinding, yet utterly misplaced, confidence that sells the entire premise.

• Shania Twains Bold Statement Why The Star Chose Nude Photoshoots At 57 Qf9cg

4. The Ginger Attebury Sketches

Ginger Attebury is one of Gasteyer’s most underappreciated original characters. Ginger is a wealthy, perpetually tipsy, and slightly tragic WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) woman, often seen in a martini-fueled haze with her husband, Leslie (played by Will Ferrell or Chris Parnell). The sketches are a quiet, observational comedy about upper-class dysfunction, with Gasteyer perfectly embodying the slurred speech, dramatic gestures, and existential ennui of a woman whose life is held together by expensive wine and social obligations. This character showcased Gasteyer's ability to create a deep, complicated persona with minimal dialogue.

The Skits That Created Buzz: Breaking Character and Breaking Barriers

Beyond the recurring characters, some of Gasteyer’s most talked-about moments were the one-off sketches that pushed boundaries or revealed the human side of the comedian through an uncontrollable laugh.

5. The “Riding My Donkey” Sketch

In a recent interview, Ana Gasteyer shared that "Riding My Donkey" was the only sketch in her entire six-year run on *SNL* that made her completely break character. The sketch aired during the Monica Lewinsky scandal era and featured a bizarre, nonsensical scenario involving a donkey. Gasteyer described the sketch as "crazy" and recalled that she couldn't keep a straight face during the performance, a rare occurrence for the usually composed comedian. Moments like this offer a glimpse behind the scenes and are cherished by fans who love seeing the cast struggle to maintain composure.

• The Untouchable Privacy 7 Secrets Of Rachel Mcadams And Jamie Lindens Life Beyond The Red Carpet E820e

6. The Topless Martha Stewart Sketch

Gasteyer has cited her December 1996 appearance as a topless Martha Stewart as a pivotal moment in her career at *SNL*. Playing the domestic doyenne in a controversial sketch, Gasteyer recalled that the performance gave her the confidence that she belonged on the show. It was a daring piece of comedy that proved her willingness to commit fully to an absurd premise, no matter how outrageous, and established her early on as a fearless comedic force.

7. Cinder Calhoun: The Feminist Folk Singer

Cinder Calhoun was Gasteyer's parody of the earnest, politically correct folk singer of the 1990s. With acoustic guitar in hand and a perpetually concerned expression, Calhoun would perform songs with overly serious and often painfully literal lyrics about social issues, such as "Don't Buy Stuff" or songs about the environment. The humor came from Gasteyer’s deadpan delivery and the character’s unwavering self-importance, brilliantly skewering the self-seriousness sometimes found in activist folk music.

Ana Gasteyer's Enduring Legacy and Topical Authority

Ana Gasteyer's time on *Saturday Night Live* coincided with a legendary period for the show, working alongside powerhouse talents like Molly Shannon, Will Ferrell, Tracy Morgan, and Jimmy Fallon. Her comedy was the perfect counterpoint to the more bombastic styles of her co-stars—often playing the straight woman or the subtle absurdist who could ground a sketch while still being the funniest person on screen.

Her ability to create fully realized, memorable characters like Margaret Jo McCullen and Ginger Attebury, while simultaneously mastering the art of celebrity impressions like Celine Dion and Hillary Clinton, showcases a rare comedic range. Even today, her work is frequently cited as a high-water mark for character-driven sketch comedy, ensuring her spot in the pantheon of *SNL* greats.

Fans who want to see more of Gasteyer's talent can follow her successful post-*SNL* career, which includes a return to her musical roots with jazz albums and her highly acclaimed work on Broadway. Her continued relevance in comedy and entertainment confirms that her six seasons on *SNL* were just the beginning of a brilliant, multi-faceted career.