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Caitlin Clark may not mind millions of eyes on her as she competes for a national championship, but the basketball star was terrified to appear on Saturday Night Live.
“I was so nervous when I was right behind the screen before they rolled me into the set and we went live,” Clark, 22, said at a press conference on Wednesday, April 17. “My heart was about to explode out of my chest. But it was a good little skit. It was fun to be a part of. Hopefully I can go back and do it again sometime.”
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During the press conference, Clark recalled the whirlwind experience of flying to New York City for the show in one day.
“I actually flew from L.A. to New York and I went right to the set,” she told reporters. “Obviously the show doesn’t start until 11:30, so I was just, like, chugging coke all night trying to stay awake. Coffee, soda. It was fun. They just kind of throw you into the fire.”
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Appearing alongside Michael Che and Colin Jost during the “Weekend Update” segment of the Saturday, April 13, episode of Saturday Night Live, Clark gave Che, 40, some jokes to read aloud. Che has historically poked fun at women’s sports during the segment, and Clark was brought in to set him straight.
“The Indiana Fever has the first pick in this Monday’s WNBA Draft,” he said, reading the first joke. “A reminder that Indiana Fever is a WNBA team and not what Michael Che gave to dozens of women at Purdue University.”
Caitlin Clark on ‘Saturday Night Live’. SNL/YouTube
Clark playfully admitted that she didn’t actually write the jokes for the skit, but she was grateful to be part of a special episode of the iconic series.
“It was a good platform for women’s sports, everybody loved it,” she recalled on Wednesday. “And that was a great show. Emily Blunt, Ryan Gosling, Chris Stapleton, Kate McKinnon. So many amazing people that came back.”
Just two days after her SNL debut, Clark was selected by the Indiana Fever as the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on Monday, April 15, following her record-breaking senior season with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Her crowd-pleasing cameo on SNL had its comedic elements, but Clark made sure to use the platform to thank her role models for helping her get to the WNBA.
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The segment ended earnestly, with Che wishing Clark the best of luck: “Good luck in the WNBA. I hope you have a great first season.” Clark then addressed the camera with her heartfelt thanks to her basketball heroes.
“It’s just one step for the WNBA. Thanks to all the great players like Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, Cynthia Cooper, the great Dawn Staley and my basketball hero, Maya Moore,” Clark said. “These are the women that kicked down the door so I could walk inside. I want to thank them tonight for laying the foundation.”
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