The Long Journey of SNL’s Viral Beavis and Butt-Head Sketch

In April of this year, a sketch on Saturday Night Live left viewers in stitches and amassed millions of views. This viral sensation, featuring Ryan Gosling and Mikey Day as Beavis and Butt-Head, was not an overnight creation. Rather, it was the result of a plan years in the making.

A Sketch Six Years in the Making

Jodi Mancuso, the hairstylist, and Louie Zakarian, a makeup artist, revealed to The Ankler that the concept for this sketch originated back in 2018. Initially, it was supposed to star Jonah Hill, who was hosting SNL at that time. Mancuso recounted,Even at that time it was late coming into the show, so there wasn’t a lot of prep time, and I wasn’t fully happy with the wigs. Then I think we tried it again, and again I wasn’t happy with it. So we fully gave up on it. This is not going to happen.

The TransformationThe piece finally took shape when it was pitched again, this time with some improvements. Inspired by the feedback from earlier attempts, Mancuso pushed for wigs that were a little more human. Zakarian made crucial adjustments to Beavis’s braces, clarifying,I made this crazy little bridge that goes into his mouth, and the first time it didn’t lift his lip up enough.

A Night to RememberMancuso commented on Gardner’s reaction,In her defense, she really didn’t get to fully see this. She says she did, but we do a rehearsal, and for rehearsal they weren’t in full costume. Gardner herself admitted,I just couldn’t prepare for what I saw. I really tried.

The Revived FulfillmentThe viral success of the sketch underscores how waiting for the right moment paid off for SNL’s creative team. Once an abandoned idea from 2018 featuring Jonah Hill was revisited with Ryan Gosling as Beavis and Mikey Day as Butt-Head, it found its perfect moment and captivated audiences worldwide.