‘The White Lotus’ Star Aubrey Plaza Transforms Into A Berserk Bartender For ‘The Black Lotus’ On ‘SNL’

SNL recently tiptoed/tripped into The White Lotus territory with Chloe Fineman doing her best Jennifer Coolidge impression, and the Dancing Queen of the Emmys sure dug it. Since Aubrey Plaza stepped up as host this week, there was no time like the present to fire up a full-on take, which means that we got The Black Lotus. Fineman returns as Jennifer/Tanya, but this is no butt-kissing resort for sure.

With locations in Atlanta, D.C., and “It’ly,” these staffers love to tell guests where to stuff it, so we receive Kenan Thompson dealing with a dude who strongly resembles Jake Lacy’s spoiled nightmare character, Shane, in Season 2. Yet if any hotel employee was going to be pooping in anyone’s suitcase after this segment ended, my money is on Aubrey Plaza’s character. She steps up as a wild Latina bartender, who has no problem getting in Not Shane’s face in response to his attitude.

All in all, this was a marvelous hosting turn from Aubrey, who finally got to do the honors after her failed audition back in the day. She also revived her Parks and Rec character, April Ludgate, on Weekend Update with Amy Poehler popping in to do her part.

All of this got me thinking (which is dangerous): if that SNL audition had worked out way back when, we may have never seen any of these skits happen. Aubrey’s career is on fire these days, which proves that awkwardly failing upward can work some magic.