Melissa McCarthy Hosting ‘Saturday Night Live’ For Second Time In April

Identity Thief star Melissa McCarthy will be hosting Saturday Night Live for the second time on April 6.

McCarthy received rave reviews the first time she hosted the show in 2011. Critics praised her for fully committing to each sketch, one of which included a reuniting with Bridesmaids co-star Kristen Wiig for a dance number in the show’s opening monologue. Entertainment Weekly said McCarthy “committed to every bit with total fearlessness, but more than anything else you could tell she was having fun, and her enthusiasm was felt by anyone who tuned in for last night’s SNL.”

EW also noted that McCarthy’s absence was felt in the sketches she didn’t appear in, such as the Lil’ Poundcake sketch, a fake commercial about a Strawberry Shortcake-like doll.

“Boy, McCarthy’s absence during the Rock sketch, Lady Antebellum, and Weekend Update was felt, wasn’t it,” asked writer Aly Semigran. “As if she needed to remind us of how far she was already knocking it out of the park (though not quite as far as Robinson Cano’s Grand Slam earlier in the evening).”

Semigran then went on to say that McCarthy “went the extra mile” for her sketches, but that it would have been nice for her to have more screen time with Wiig.

However, not everyone has been a fan of the comedienne. Critic Rex Reed called the 42-year-old a “hippo” and “tractor-sized” in a review for Identity Thief. He also called her a “gimmick comedian who has devoted her short career to being obese and obnoxious with equal success.” Fellow actress Jenny McCarthy quickly came to her cousin’s defense, saying, “People shouldn’t personally attack anyone who’s in front of the camera. Judge the work, but not the way someone looks.”

In the end, Melissa McCarthy ended up getting the last laugh: Identity Thief has pulled in over $100 million at the box so far.

Are you excited to see Melissa McCarthy host Saturday Night Live next month?