Saturday Night Live has been on television since the 1970s, having now aired more than 900 episodes to make it one of the longest-running network programs in the U.S. Many cast members have found national stardom while appearing on the show. Typically, they might then achieve success in film and TV, both in front of and behind the camera, beyond Lorne Michaels’ award-winning comedy and variety show. One such success story is Jason Sudeikis, who viewers these days might know best as Apple TV+’s beloved character Ted Lasso.

Sudeikis began his career in improv comedy and performed with iconic troupes such as The Second City. By 2003, he was hired as a writer for SNL and starred as a cast member from 2005 to 2013. In 2020, he co-created and began starring as the lead in Ted Lasso, which deservedly earned him Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe Awards. The character actually traces back to NBC Sports, which might surprise some who might think Lasso originated at SNL’s Studio 8H in 30 Rock.

Speaking of SNL—while the show’s live aspect has resulted in several controversies and acts of censorship, at the end of the day it has spawned countless iconic on-screen personas. The versatile Sudeikis has been fortunate enough to step into the shoes of them. As we count down the days to season 3 of Ted Lasso, here’s a closer look at Sudeikis’ best SNL characters to date.

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5 Sports Reporter

     Via NBC

Throughout his time at SNL, Sudeikis played so many variations of what was essentially the same character: a sports reporter. In several sketches with his partner-in-crime Will Forte, Sudeikis plays the deliciously optimistic Pete Twinkle. While trying on-air to navigate co-commentating with Greg Stink (Forte)—who’s not the brightest bulb—Twinkle makes hilariously over-the-top comments about exaggerated sports-based situations that include women’s curling and bowling. And with broadcasting women’s athletics comes the routinely feminine product advertisement. The sheer enthusiasm Sudeikis puts into the most questionably phrased ad copy about maxi pads or vaginal cream never fails to deliver. The dramatic pause by Sudeikis and Forte after each ridiculous catchphrase is pure comedy gold.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

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MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

Though the reporters would often find themselves comically off-topic in these skits, it’s clear here that Sudeikis had a clear knack for sports-related comedy before taking on his hilarious character on Ted Lasso. One highlight comes from Twinkle and Stink’s segment about curling, when Twinkle asks Stink how many points he thinks a player just received after her successful turn. Stink replies “five,” simply because he looked down at his hand and noticed he had five fingers…

4 Male A-hole

The memorable “Two A-Holes” skits consisted of Kristen Wiig and Sudeikis’ characters finding themselves in a variety of everyday situations, such as buying a Christmas tree, going to the gym or even witnessing a crime. The “Two A-holes” are led by Sudeikis’ gum-chewing, “babe”-mumbling, popped-collar persona. It’s one Sudeikis’ oldest and best recurring SNL characters, with his laugh-out-loud showcasing of complete and utter lack of compassion during the various conversations. Even though “Two A-Holes” debuted on what was only their first season with the show, Sudeikis and Wiig played off each other so well that they were both upgraded from featured to repertory players in the following season.

One “Two A-holes” highlight comes at the end of their gym sketch with host John C. Reilly, who plays their trainer. After driving the trainer nuts and causing him to question his sanity, the trainer storms off, leaving Sudeikis and Wiig just standing there smacking gum. They haven’t exercised in the slightest, but Sudeikis concludes the sketch with, “Good workout, babe.”

3 The Devil

When it comes to the “Weekend Update” portion of SNL, it’s hard to trump Bill Hader’s Stefon. But a close second is Sudeikis’ “The Devil,” who would occasionally appear when a major public scandal was popular in the media at the time. Some examples: the Penn State Sandusky scandal and Osama Bin Laden, both of which Sudeikis would comment on with jovial good humor.

Ironically depicted as a cool, down-to-earth guy full of snarky comments, Sudeikis’ Devil was also playfully upbeat and wildly entertaining to watch with every appearance. His cartoonish costume is priceless as well. The lovable, demonic persona resurfaced just recently when Sudeikis hosted, alongside current “Weekend Update” co-host Colin Jost to fill us in on what the Devil has been up to. “Instagram for kids” was just one hysterical example.

2 Mitt Romney

Remember when Sen. Mitt Romney dressed up as Ted Lasso this past Halloween? Perhaps it’s a nod to an earlier era, when the roles were somewhat reversed. Back when Romney was running against former President Barack Obama, Sudeikis took SNL by storm by his impeccable impersonation of the White House hopeful.

From the nasal mockery of the politician’s voice to the bit that Romney was weirdly obsessed with drinking milk, Sudeikis captivated audiences. It’s a less well-known impersonation than his Biden (see below), but Sudeikis’ Romney opposite Jay Pharaohs’ Barack Obama throughout the 2012 election sketches were central to the show’s place in the culture during that fall. Unlike the 2008 election, the Obama-Romney showdown was pretty tame. Sudeikis, however, still managed to work out Romney’s flaws in a non-offensive way—even when he was getting drunk off of lactose.

1 Joe Biden

The impression that takes the cake, however, is that of our current president. Some people might think the Romney look is more on point, but Sudeikis’ Joe Biden gives him a bit of an edge. Always playing Biden as a bit of a buffoon, Sudeikis committed, and it paid off. He started portraying Biden roughly 15 years ago, which would be the first of more than two dozen sketches where Sudeikis would play the senator-turned-Veep. James Austin Johnson is doing solid work as the current impersonator, but SNL certainly hasn’t kicked Sudeikis’ efforts to the curb. After all, there’s a killer reunion of the two versions of Biden when the Ted Lasso star recently returned as host. Sudeikis’ Biden can be described as goofy, light-hearted, yet full of outlandish outbursts.