A Star is Born’s Oscar chances may be on the wane — it’s being eclipsed by, of all things, Bohemian Rhapsody, directed by someone accused of repeated cases of sexual assault, and Green Book, written by an apparent Islamophobe. But the soundtrack has stayed on top. You may be at the point where you want a single day without hearing “Shallow” on TV or in a Rite Aid. But put your frustrations on hold for this: SNL cast member Melissa Villaseñor does an amazing Lady Gaga.
On a guest-heavy Weekend Update — none of whom was perennial Update-stealer Pete Davidson — Villaseñor swung by in a Gaga blonde bob, fighting with Colin Jost over her intense desire to bust out her impersonation of the Oscar- and Grammy-nominee. There was no real reason for her to do it. But she kept doing it and fine, cry uncle, it was worth it.
Villaseñor mostly stuck to “Shallow,” and she has the pipes and the chops to pull it off. Eventually a skeptical/weary Jost gave in, too, suitably impressed by his colleagues karaoke-worthy performance. It was almost enough to breathe new life into a song that hasn’t gone away — and it reminds us that, bizarre Sean Penn odes to it aside, maybe A Star is Born does deserve to win every Oscar after all.
