Ana Gasteyer SNL Characters: Why the 90s MVP Still Rules

Honestly, it’s a bit of a crime that when people talk about the "Golden Era" of late-90s Saturday Night Live, they usually lead with Will Ferrell or Molly Shannon. Don't get me wrong, they're legends. But if you actually go back and watch the tapes, Ana Gasteyer SNL characters were often the glue holding those chaotic sketches together. She wasn't just a "straight man" or a supporting player. She was a powerhouse who could pivot from a whisper-quiet NPR host to a shrieking music teacher without breaking a sweat.

Gasteyer joined the cast in 1996 and stuck around until 2002. It was a weird, transitional time for the show. Most people forget how much she actually did in those six years. She didn't just play characters; she built entire personalities that felt weirdly real, even when they were doing something totally absurd like singing a "Not Like Us" parody at Radio City Music Hall (which, yes, she actually did recently for the SNL 50 celebration).

The Genius of Margaret Jo McCullin and The Delicious Dish

You can't talk about Ana Gasteyer without mentioning "The Delicious Dish." It’s basically the ultimate "if you know, you know" sketch for SNL fans. She played Margaret Jo McCullin alongside Molly Shannon (and later Rachel Dratch). They were these two National Public Radio hosts who spoke in this incredibly soothing, monotonous drone.

It was perfect satire.

The most famous iteration is obviously the 1998 "Schweddy Balls" sketch with Alec Baldwin. Baldwin plays Pete Schweddy, a baker with some... uniquely named holiday treats. While the audience is losing their minds over the double entendres, Gasteyer stays perfectly in character. She talks about "the aroma" and how her "mouth is watering" with such earnest, oatmeal-bland sincerity that it makes the joke ten times funnier.

What’s wild is that the sketch actually mentions the word "balls" about 24 times. Most actors would crack. She didn't. That’s the Gasteyer magic—she treats the absurd with total, 100% respect.

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Bobbi Mohan-Culp: The Queen of the Middle School Medley

If you grew up in the 90s, you knew a Bobbi Mohan-Culp. She was one half of the Altadena Middle School music teacher duo, along with Will Ferrell’s Marty Culp. They wore these horrific, unstylish outfits and performed "clean" versions of R&B and rap songs.

They were basically the human embodiment of "cringe" before that was even a word.

Bobbi was the lead vocalist. She had this high-pitched, operatic trill that made songs like "Thong Song" or "Get Ur Freak On" sound like something you’d hear at a very depressing church social. Between songs, they’d get passive-aggressive with the "students" (the audience), accusing them of "giving us the finger" or "whispering behind our backs."

"We invite you all to snuggle under a musical blanket of sensual funk and some mad fresh beats that slap. No cap." — Bobbi Mohan-Culp (SNL 50)

Even decades later, she’s still doing it. During the SNL 50 lead-up, she and Ferrell showed up at Radio City and did a medley of Chappell Roan and Kendrick Lamar. Seeing a 50-something music teacher sing "Good Luck, Babe!" is exactly the kind of chaos the world needs.

Cinder Calhoun and the Lilith Fair Vibes

Then there was Cinder Calhoun. She was this ultra-serious, politically active folk singer who probably spent a lot of time at Lilith Fair. Cinder didn't just sing; she protested. Usually, her songs were about things like the "Christmas Chainsaw Massacre" (protesting trees being cut down) or the "Basted in Blood" Thanksgiving song.

She once performed a song comparing Butterball turkeys to historical dictators. Sarah McLachlan actually joined her for a sketch once, which just proves how much the real musicians of that era were in on the joke. Gasteyer’s ability to mimic that specific, breathy, "I am very important" folk-singer vibe was spot on.

The Martha Stewart Impression That Fear Followed

We have to talk about Martha. Before every comedian had a Martha Stewart bit, Ana Gasteyer had the Martha Stewart bit. It wasn't just a voice; it was an attitude. She captured that weirdly intense "weird hot mom factor"—her words, not mine—and a level of perfectionism that felt slightly dangerous.

She did a sketch where Martha was topless (with strategically placed items, obviously) while making a holiday centerpiece. She did Martha in jail. She even did Martha on a bad date.

The real Martha Stewart actually loves it. Or at least, she pretends to. Recently, on The Drew Barrymore Show, Gasteyer crashed Martha’s interview while dressed in the full wig and gold ensemble. Martha’s reaction? "My impersonator, I fear for her." But then she told Ana she looked better than the real thing. It’s rare to see a celebrity actually embrace an impression that’s that sharp, but Gasteyer’s version was so grounded in Martha's actual mannerisms—like the insistence on handwritten thank-you notes over emails—that it was impossible to hate.

Why These Characters Still Matter in 2026

It’s easy to dismiss old sketches as "dated," but Gasteyer’s work holds up because she wasn't just chasing cheap laughs. She was a theater-trained singer (she was Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway, remember?) and a Groundlings alum. That combination of technical skill and improv chops meant her characters had layers.

She brought a level of "understated" work to the show that was rare in an era of loud, screaming comedy. Think about it:

• The Precision: She never broke. Not for Alec Baldwin, not for Will Ferrell's cowbell, nothing.
• The Range: Going from the quiet NPR studio to the screeching Bobbi Culp is a massive vocal and physical shift.
• The Versatility: She could play Hillary Clinton one minute and a doomed customer of the Soup Nazi (yes, that was her on Seinfeld) the next.

She was the "utility player" that every great era of SNL needs. Without her, the show in the late 90s would have felt a lot more one-dimensional.

Practical Next Steps for the SNL Fan

If you want to truly appreciate the depth of her work, don't just stick to the highlight reels.

1. Watch the "Culp Family" medleys in order. You can see the chemistry between her and Ferrell evolve from a one-off wedding toast to a massive, recurring spectacle.
2. Check out her non-SNL work. Seriously, watch her as Sheila Shay in Suburgatory or Katherine Hastings in American Auto. You'll see the same DNA of those SNL characters—the high-strung energy and the impeccable timing.
3. Listen to her jazz albums. She’s a legit singer. Sugar and Booze is actually a great holiday album that isn't just a comedy bit.

Ana Gasteyer didn't just play characters; she owned a specific corner of the SNL universe where the "ordinary" became "extraordinary" through sheer, unwavering commitment. That's why, thirty years later, we're still talking about Schweddy Balls and Altadena Middle School.

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The best way to dive back in is to find the "NPR's Delicious Dish: BBQ" sketch from 1997 with John Goodman. It's often overshadowed by the Baldwin episode, but the chemistry and the deadpan delivery are arguably even better. Look for it on Peacock or the official SNL YouTube channel.