Saturday Night Live character Debbie Downer (Rachel Dratch) returned to ruin the mood for those looking to enjoy themselves during the show’s 50th anniversary special.
Downer, who first appeared in 2004 and most recently showed up in 2020, first tended bar for Jimmy Fallon, Drew Barrymore, and Ayo Edebiri.
As the trio were making a toast, Downer butted in. “Have you seen the latest study about alcohol? Even one drink can significantly slash life expectancy,” she said, looking into the camera to the sound of a flat trombone.
They tried again, toasting to “another fifty years” of SNL.
“Let’s hope humanity lasts that long. At this point, it looks like we’re going the way of the white rhino,” Downer said. “There are only two left in captivity. And they’re both female.”
After fretting about bird flu and gout, Downer was met by Robert De Niro, who just wanted a drink and to relax.
Debbie Downer’s at it again #SNL50 pic.twitter.com/BEFvZNwJdM
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) February 17, 2025
“You talking to me?” Downer said twice, prompting De Niro to ask if she was joking.
“No, I’m asking,” she said. “I have dry eye, so it’s hard to discern if you were talking to me.”
After making his drink, Downer said she was surprised De Niro wanted a straw given “microplastics” and how “we’re all walking landfills.”
“Odds are, they’ve already taken up residence in your testes,” she told him.
De Niro wasn’t amused.
“I don’t want to talk about plastic in my balls. I want to laugh and feel joy, and have a sliver of hope for three goddamn hours of my life. That’s all I want. I came here to get a little friggin’ break from our world right now, which is like living in a full diaper,” he said, causing Downer to inform him that “diapers are a leading culprit in the microplastics saga.”
De Niro then reached over the bar to choke Downer, but was restrained by Fallon.
Eventually, the four came to an agreement and held a toast. But while Fallon and company toasted to “happiness and friendship and 50 years,” Downer poured herself a glass of Ensure and toasted to “continuing advancements in curing feline AIDS–it’s the number one killer of domestic cats.”
From Rolling Stone US
