Our very own Kate McKinnon has been handed the keys to potential international stardom: she will make her debut on Saturday Night Live next Saturday, April 7. Kate co-starred on The Big Gay Sketch Show alongside Julie Goldman and Nicol Paone for three seasons where she played Barbara Walters and most memorably, Fitzwilliam, a British boy whose only wish was to have a vagina. Since Big Gay, she has performed several one woman shows at New York City’s Upright Citizen Brigade theatre, starred in Vag Magazine, a web series about running a third-wave feminist magazine, and sailed the high seas with Autostraddle on the 2009 Sweet cruise.
Kate with Julie Goldman & Nicol Paone
Kate is poised to fill the missing shoes of Kristen Wiig, likely to leave SNL for a big movie career when her contract expires this May. Beyond Wiig, her cast of characters and range of impressions is reminiscent of the women who have come before her, including Molly Shannon, Cheri Oteri, Ana Gasteyer, Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph so she will clearly be the Next Big Thing and probably have her own NBC sitcom in 2018. Have I mentioned she’s the first out lesbian cast member in SNL’s 37 year history on television?
photo by Robin Roemer for Autostraddle
Interestingly, Kate was one of Autostraddle’s very first interview/photoshoots way back in June 2009, and although we’ve since been asked to take it down, there’s a quote from the interview that seems particularly relevant:
“My ultimate dream would be to be Lily Tomlin or to be Tracy Ullman, you know, just a character woman. A character woman who does characters where characters are needed. “I would kill to be the first gay person on SNL or have a Tracy Ullman-type show. That would be my ultimate dream.”
In honor of Kate’s big SNL debut (and to prove we knew her when), I present the top 5 Kate McKinnon Things We Love (that weren’t removed from the internet by Logo).
Commitment Ceremony with Julie Goldman
[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE6UtcJtqE4′]
Speed Dating
[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKn0DWskifU’]
Celesbian Interview featuring Dani Campbell (Part 1)
[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rf2bmqxDGI’]
Celesbian Interview featuring Dani Campbell (Part 2)
[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VT8uVSzfK0′]
Big Gay Sketch Show: Fitzwilliam Goes to Hogwarts
[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsEbNPP8Edo’]
Kate with Autostraddle's Robin & Carly
Now if only they could hire a woman of color….
This was such great news today. Knew Kate from the UCB theater. I do a lot of work over at Studio 8a. Looking forward to seeing her there!
“Now if only they could hire a woman of color….”
I know right…*hard sigh*
YAY! I loved Kate McK (and the amazing Julie Goldman) on the Celesbian Interview Special Specials.
yesssss
this is joyous news!
(curious about the takedown but I’m going to assume it’s regarding some sort of copyright and not a matter of scandalous content)
This is awesome! I thought I heard she was the first out LGBT cast member in general but maybe that was wrong?
Also I have to say I’m still a bit sad that Wiig is leaving, as she’s one of the only ones on there who makes me laugh anymore… but I’m glad that McKinnon is the one filling her big shoes!
I’m pretty sure the first paragraph should read:
“and most memorably, Fitzwilliam, a British transgender girl whose only wish was to have a vagina.”
unless I’m remembering it wrong?
Anywho, congratulations on stealing my life goal Kate! Way to make some queer representation history!
kate refers to fitzwilliam as a boy. i think my ultimate conclusion is that it’s a comedic character kate invented in her imagination who doesn’t necessarily make sense w/r/t the language we use for real people?
i came to this same conclusion.
Oh, makes sense. Thanks for clarifying!
I saw this last night while I was trying to keep sane in between projects. SO EXCITED.
YES! I love her. Gonna go youtube binge now
perfect.
also, i hope julie goldman is next (but i would be very happy if her spot in line for comedy stardom were taken by a lady of color instead)
What about Nasim Pedrad people!
she is amazing and i would like to watch more women like her be hilarious on my tv on saturday nights
So…who did she have to kill to get this? I think we should be privy to that information.
I totally forgot Dani Campbell existed. I wish she was in my life…
OHMYGOD i have the bigggggest crush on kate mckinnon. this is amazing news.
kate mckinnon and i agreed that a baked ziti pizza is the most carbolicious snack ever. high point of my college career. now she’s famous. guess i have that tidbit to hold onto, so i got that goin for me.
AAAHH! YESSSS!
the world totally needs to know the fabulous Kate McKinnon.
Unrelated..I’ve been invited to Asbury for the Roller Derby..Have you gone? Should I go?
Should you go!?! You are like girls yes?
Then YES!! Even straight girls go to ogle the derby girls.
I should have known I was not straight when I had the biggest crush on Dani Campbell. I remember howling at the tv on the last episode of a shot at love. Sigh.
Oh dayum, I might start watching SNL now. I have a big homo crush on Kate even since I saw her as Fitzwilliam on The Big Gay Sketch Show. *lol*
unbeknownst to kate mckinnon, before I was out, we once casually chatted about her haircut and how I wanted to cut my hair a similar way, and I was super attracted to her and didn’t know how to deal with or understand it. I’ve always fondly looked back on that moment as one of my first experiences that led to me realizing I like girls a few months later! and now she’s on SNL! life is completely insane.
but maya rudolph is half african american. they hired a woman of colour a long time ago.
a.
I think the problem right now is that Nasim Pedrad, who is AMAZING, is the only woman of color left on the show. When Maya hosted a couple of weeks ago, she was amazing and I finished the show seeing so clearly the hole she left when she was gone. There were so many WOC characters that they just can’t do without more, specifically black, women on the show.
I’m a bit tired of having Kenan be every black woman they want to use on that show.
Oh my god. This was the best news ever. I have the hugest crush on her. She’s gorgeous! and funny!
so who is gonna run the fuck yeah kate mckinnon tumblr? it better be an autostraddler
This is really great news cause I went to a strip club with her once and then my ex-girlfriend made out with her so now I’m basically famous!
and because she’s wonderful, obviously