Saturday Night Live hosts are only around for a week at a time. But all it takes is for one sketch to go perfectly for that host to have a lasting impact on SNL. One host left just such an impression on cast member Mikey Day.
Day has done over 170 episodes of Saturday Night Live. He's seen countless hosts come through, starting with Margot Robbie for his first episode as a cast member in 2016. Interestingly enough, it was Robbie's Barbie co-star who made the biggest impact on Day.
In an interview with The Ringer, Day reflected on why "Beavis and Butt-Head" was his favorite sketch he'd ever done. The SNL vet gave a large portion of the credit to Ryan Gosling.
"When Gosling came on, he just completely got it," Day said. "That’s what’s cool about Ryan. He’s this beautiful movie star, but at the end of the day, he likes stupid stuff."
The sketch went viral for the spot-on costume and make-up design, which Day made sure to thank Louie Zakarian. Heidi Gardner breaking also helped the sketch's popularity, as did Day and Gosling attempting to hold it together.
"I feel like you have moments there where you can feel like, 'Oh, this is a core memory. I definitely got this rush and this high from it," Day shared. But he also admitted he knows its unlikely he'll ever experience anything like that again. So Gosling hold a special place in Day's heart when it comes to SNL.
"I saw Ryan as he was leaving and I was like, 'Every time you come on the show, you change our lives,'" Day recalled. He noted that Gosling also helped bring the "Close Encounters" sketch written by Day and Streeter Seidell to another level.
"I’m like, 'You’re this magical prince who waltzes into our lives every couple years and fully changes them.' And so we had a moment," Day continued.
Gosling returned the favor not long after the sketch went viral. He invited Day to walk the red carpet at the Fall Guy premiere dressed as Beavis and Butt-Head. It was the icing on the cake for Day and another reminder of just how special the sketch, and Gosling, had become.