‘A bunch of us are gonna go throw snowballs at Ben Marshall and then go look at the tree’

Ariana Grande bundles up for her return to ‘SNL.’

Bill Kuchman Dec 17, 2025

‘A bunch of us are gonna go throw snowballs at Ben Marshall and then go look at the tree’ — **Ashley Padilla** and **Ariana Grande** in Grande’s *SNL* promo. / NBC

Deep SNL Thoughts is now The Cold Open. New name. Same extensive SNL coverage.

The host: Ariana Grande

The musical guest: Cher

Cast members in the promo: Ashley Padilla

Ariana Grande returns to SNL to host the show for her third time this weekend. It’s the Christmas episode, so expectations are high. Grande has been a top-tier host her first two times hosting the show. My only fear is that promotion of Wicked: For Good will overpower anything else.

Interesting to see that Ashley Padilla, following an absolute takeover of the show last weekend, was the only cast member featured in Grande’s promo ...

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Deep SNL Thoughts is written and produced by Bill Kuchman.
Copyediting by Tim Kuchman.

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Deep SNL Thoughts is a publication of The Omnicosm.
Issue No. 29

Published in: The Cold Open • Host Promo, The Cold Open, SNL, Ariana Grande

Author

The Omnicosm founder. Snackology, Popculturology and The Cold Open writer. A Rochester, N.Y., native now living in the Washington, D.C., area. Won’t pass up a Genny Cream Ale.

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