SNL #39.15 RECAP: Host Lena Dunham, musical guest The National

Look. Sometimes you’re not anywhere near home or a TV on a Saturday night, nor even Sunday night, after you’ve seen several cast members of Saturday Night Live at a comedy festival, and then it’s Monday morning and you’re about to see and hear Lena Dunham give a keynote speech and you’re thinking, is this the right time to recap and review Dunham’s first hosting stint on SNL? Is there ever a good time? Opinions on my social media timelines were wildly divided — which is par for the course considering all of the Internet thinkpieces Dunham and her HBO series, Girls, continue to generate.

But look. I don’t have time to keep you waiting any longer, at least not for the video sketches from last weekend’s show. So let’s get to it!

Obama Ukraine Address Cold Open: President Obama discusses how the United States plans to deal with the crisis in Ukraine. He calls in a special guest to deliver a personal message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Lena Dunham Monologue: First-time host Lena Dunham talks about the nudity in her show “Girls,” and SNL cast members tell her private stories about their sex lives.

Biblical Movie: “Girl” is Lena Dunham’s unique take on the life of Eve, a struggling twenty-something in the Garden of Eden.

The Katt Williams Show: On this episode of “Pimpin Pimpin Pimpin with Katt Williams,” Katt talks to some of this year’s most talked-about Academy Award winners, presenters and attendees.

Scandal: A recent college grad joins Olivia Pope’s team of gladiators and has a lot of questions.

Ooh Child: A car sing-along gets repeatedly interrupted by the voice of a GPS.

What Are You Even Doing: Nasim Pedrad and Lena Dunham play teenage girls who welcome their friend from school and Jon Hamm to their show about flirting with boys.

Jewelry Party: A jewelry party gets siderailed when a male guest reveals his profession as a men’s rights activist.

The National: “Graceless”

Weekend Update 3-8-14: Catch up on the headlines with Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Cecily Strong, including push-up jeans and Arby’s purchase of Pharrell Williams’ hat. Matthew McConaughey and Vladimir Putin’s Friends From Growing Up stop by.

Actor Matthew McConaughey (Taran Killam) stops by the Update desk to chat with Colin about his recent Oscar win and the secrets to his success.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s childhood friends (Vanessa Bayer and Fred Armisen) stop by the Weekend Update desk to share how they feel about their old pal.

What’s Poppin’: A less-than-great rap group is booked last-minute on MTV2’s show, “What’s Poppin’.”

The National: “I Need My Girl”

See you after spring break! Louis C.K. will host again in a few.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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