If you haven't sat down to watch a full episode of Saturday Night Live in a few years, you might have missed the rise of Ego Nwodim. She joined the cast in 2018 and has since become the queen of the "high-status weirdo."

She’s the actor who can play a legendary diva like Dionne Warwick one minute and a woman who absolutely destroys a dinner table trying to cut a skirt steak the next. For parents, she’s a breath of fresh air because her comedy often relies on incredible character work and physical commitment rather than just shock value—though, being SNL, the shock value is definitely still in the building.

While we might remember the "Spartan Cheerleaders" or "Wayne's World," today's kids consume SNL through three-minute clips on YouTube or 15-second soundbites on TikTok.

Ego’s characters are "meme-able." They are loud, confident, and frequently "break" the other actors (making them laugh out of character), which is the digital currency of modern comedy. When Pedro Pascal or Ryan Gosling can't keep a straight face because Ego is shaking a table so hard their water glasses are flying, that’s the clip that goes viral.

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This is the one your kids have seen. The premise is simple: a group of friends is out at a nice dinner, and Lisa (Ego) insists on ordering her steak "extra, extra well done." The comedy comes from the sheer physical violence she exerts on the table while trying to cut the meat.

Ego’s impression of the legendary singer is iconic. She plays Dionne as someone who has zero patience for modern celebrities (like Post Malone or Harry Styles) and is mostly confused by why they are famous.

Ego often plays characters who are incredibly wealthy, slightly delusional, and deeply "extra." Whether she's a woman who owns a "fine dining" establishment in a strip mall or a guest on Weekend Update, she leans into the absurdity of influencer culture and "main character energy."

SNL is rated TV-14, and for good reason. While Ego Nwodim herself is a brilliant performer, the context she exists in can be hit-or-miss for families.

At this age, kids love the "Lisa from Temecula" style of humor. It’s "brain rot" adjacent—meaning it’s loud, repetitive, and physically silly. Stick to the specific character clips on the SNL YouTube Channel. Avoid letting them browse the full episodes on Peacock or Hulu alone, as the "Weekend Update" segment often handles very adult news topics and political satire that will go over their heads or spark awkward questions.

This is the sweet spot. Teens get the irony. They understand that Ego is playing a character who is "doing too much." This is a great time to watch her sketches together and talk about why they’re funny. Is it the writing? Is it the way she uses her voice? Is it the fact that the other actors are losing their minds?

They’re likely already watching these clips on their own. Ego’s comedy is sophisticated enough that it doesn't feel like "kids' stuff," which gives it social capital with older teens.

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When we talk about "Digital Wellness" at Screenwise, we aren't just talking about strangers or predators; we're talking about the vibe of the content.

If your kid comes to you talking about an SNL sketch, use it as a bridge. Comedy is one of the fastest ways to understand what’s happening in a kid's social circle.

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Ego Nwodim is a comedic powerhouse. She’s one of the reasons Saturday Night Live has stayed relevant in 2026. Her sketches are generally high-quality, smart, and genuinely funny without relying solely on the "crude for the sake of crude" tropes that plague some other late-night comedy.

If you’re looking for a "safe" way to introduce your middle or high schooler to sketch comedy, Ego’s highlight reel is a great place to start. Just be prepared for them to start shaking the dinner table the next time you serve steak.

Ask our chatbot for more comedy recommendations based on what your kids like