She's the president of comedy. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the times former “SNL” player Maya Rudolph cracked us up both on and off the late-night sketch comedy show.
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00:00Kick back in our pajamas and watch a rom-com-a-la.
00:03Like Legally Blonde-a-la.
00:08And start decorating for Christmas, fa-la-la-la-la.
00:12Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the Times former SNL player
00:17Maya Rudolph cracked us up both on and off the late night sketch comedy show.
00:21I could kill everybody in here and get away with it.
00:25Number 10.
00:27Michael Bolton's big sexy Valentine's Day special.
00:30Looking for the perfect song to serenade your loved one?
00:33This might just be it.
00:43We all know that without the right soundtrack, romance can feel a bit flat.
00:47Luckily, Maya Rudolph knows just what it takes to heat things up.
00:51A key change.
00:52Yes, you heard that right.
00:53A key change.
00:55Turns out, few things can't be fixed with one.
01:04What's truly impressive is how Rudolph's vocal talents shine, nailing every key change with
01:09precision while keeping the humor alive.
01:12Even with all the vocal gymnastics, the comedy never skips a beat.
01:16Just Valentine's Day?
01:17We are definitely setting the mood with this tune.
01:30Number 9.
01:31A flustered meteorologist.
01:33Sarah Cooper, Everything's Fine.
01:35Remember 2020?
01:36How could anyone forget?
01:39Or maybe you've tried to block it out.
01:40Honestly, who could blame you?
01:44In this Netflix special, Rudolph stars as Andrea, a weather reporter on the fictional
01:58news show Everything's Fine.
02:00Only everything is most definitely not fine.
02:02We've all checked the weather and wondered what on earth is going on.
02:16Now top that with a pandemic and a highly divisive election and yeah, who wouldn't
02:21be freaking out?
02:22Watching her lose her cool on screen gives us a few moments of much needed relief as
02:26we cackle in solidarity and think, us too girl, us too.
02:32Number 8.
02:33A 50th in Napa to remember.
02:34Wine Country.
02:35In 2019, some of SNL's most talented women joined forces for a movie directed by Amy
02:41Poehler.
02:53Rudolph stars as Naomi, one of a group of longtime friends heading to Napa for a friend's
02:5850th birthday celebration.
03:00As the wine flows, things get hilariously chaotic.
03:04After just one night, Naomi finds herself wearing a shower cap with no idea why.
03:17She's also convinced that a bit of flossing is the perfect way to loosen up a stressed
03:21friend.
03:22But nothing tops the scene where she's totally hammered and she grabs the mic to serenade
03:26the birthday girl.
03:28It's a wobbly start but when life or wine knocks you down, the only choice is to get
03:33up and keep singing.
03:46Number 7.
03:47US Marshal Karen Haas.
03:49Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
03:50After a run-in with mob boss Biggis, Jake and Captain Holt are forced into witness
03:54protection under the care of US Marshal Karen Haas.
04:06Marshal Haas is a badass when it comes to her job.
04:09However, when it comes to her personal life, she's more of a hot mess.
04:23This dynamic gives Rudolph the chance to show off her incredible range, even in her
04:31brief time on the series.
04:33We were relieved when Jake and Holt got their old lives back but sad to see Rudolph's
04:38stint come to an end.
04:39And while we're talking hilarious sitcom cameos, we could not forget her hilarious
04:44Dionne Warwick on The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
04:47Classic.
04:48Number 6.
04:56Mama Mitchell.
04:57The Mitchells vs. The Machines.
05:00Rudolph really knows how to bring animated characters to life by getting, well, super
05:04animated in the recording booth.
05:06We saw this in Big Hero 6 where her physicality during recording reportedly influenced her
05:10character Aunt Cass.
05:22And we'd love to think that same energy inspired her role as Linda Mitchell.
05:26Linda has so many great moments in The Mitchells vs. The Machines, but her best has to be when
05:31she goes full on mama bear.
05:40No one has more power to take down technology and save the world than a mom whose kids are
05:45in peril.
05:46Who knew that if we ever face a robot uprising, all we need is an army of angry moms.
06:02Number 5.
06:03Connie the Hormone Monstress.
06:04Big Mouth.
06:05Puberty can feel like a temperamental monster wreaking havoc on our bodies.
06:10In Big Mouth, this struggle is made literal with the introduction of the Hormone Monsters.
06:14Well, in this case, a Hormone Monstress.
06:29She's refreshingly blunt and tackles those awkward topics many people find hard to discuss.
06:34Her over-the-top delivery perfectly captures the emotional ups and downs of growing up.
06:49While Big Mouth can be a bit crude and isn't for everyone, the voice acting and comedic
06:54timing make the character really funny.
06:56There aren't many, but we can definitely think of a few times in our lives when we could
07:01have used someone like Connie to help us through.
07:08Number 4.
07:09Molly Wells on Hot Ones.
07:11Loot.
07:12Molly Wells is a wealth of iconic moments.
07:22On Loot, Rudolph portrays the billionaire divorcee so perfectly on so many levels, and
07:27the character, in turn, gives Rudolph ample material to work with.
07:31In the third episode, Sean Evans and Hot Ones become canon to the Loot universe after Molly
07:36is invited on the show.
07:38In the short clip, we witness a massive meltdown in which she removes her shoes, cusses out
07:44the host, and makes some rather violent threats.
07:55It is every bit as hysterical as it is intimidating.
08:06Our only complaint is that we didn't get a full-length episode.
08:10It would have no doubt reached the 8 million mark in our world, too.
08:14Number 3.
08:15Tipping the Scales of Justice – The Good Place.
08:18Rudolph plays Judge Jen, a powerful judge who decides the fate of souls in the afterlife.
08:35With cosmic powers and a surprisingly bureaucratic attitude, she brings both authority and humor
08:40to every scene.
08:42Her chemistry with the other characters, especially Chidi, is fantastic, and it really makes us
08:47wish she could stick around for more episodes.
08:49Plus, her takes on earthly pop culture are always a treat.
09:00It's no wonder this role earned her not one, not two, but three Primetime Emmy nominations.
09:14In just 12 episodes, Rudolph turned Judge Jen into one of the show's most memorable
09:18characters.
09:20No doubt about it, she's heading straight to the Good Place.
09:30Number 2.
09:31A Bathroom Emergency – Bridesmaids.
09:43In this hilarious comedy, Rudolph plays Lillian, a bride-to-be with the most mismatched group
09:48of bridesmaids imaginable.
09:50One memorable scene has her best friend Annie taking them all to a Brazilian restaurant
09:54before a dress fitting.
09:56If you've been to one of these wedding dress shops, you know they're usually pristine
10:00and fancy.
10:01You can guess where this is headed.
10:07The lunch they enjoyed earlier makes a surprise reappearance, and things get messy fast.
10:13Everyone scrambles for a receptacle, but Lillian's big puffy white dress proves to be a major
10:19obstacle.
10:22Ultimately, she has to stop in the street and let it all out.
10:29It's gross, but also quite a sight to behold.
10:49Number 1.
10:50Her Time on SNL – Saturday Night Live.
10:53Rudolph first joined SNL in Season 25 and remained until Season 33, during which time
10:59she brought us countless memorable characters, impressions, and sketches that we still love
11:04to watch.
11:07It's impossible to speak about her time on the sketch comedy show without mentioning
11:17her primetime Emmy award-winning portrayal of Kamala Harris.
11:21She first took on the role in 2019 when she introduced America to their fun aunt, or funt,
11:27and the character has only evolved as Harris' role in politics has grown.
11:36Incidentally, Rudolph's versatility is unmatched with brilliant impressions of celebrities
11:44ranging from Donatella Versace to Oprah and even Beyonce.
11:54Here's to many more years of Rudolph bringing us joy and laughter.
11:58Which Maya Rudolph moment always makes you chuckle?
12:01Let us know in the comments.
12:09Do you agree with our picks?
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