“Sorry, I’m visiting Miami. I got free tickets. I don’t know what any of this means,” Joshua says. “I think I’m having a panic attack.”
In an attempt to make sense of Don Francisco’s directions, Joshua accidentally summons “El Chacal de la Trompeta,” or The Trumpet Jackal, a longstanding character from “Sábado Gigante” who appeared on the show as a curt judge in singing competitions, blaring his instrument when he wasn’t satisfied with a contestant’s performance. The “SNL” skit ends with all of the zany characters breaking out into song alongside Joshua, who is still confused.
Viewers were impressed with how well “SNL” captured the over-the-top and eccentric nature of “Sábado Gigante” that they remember from their childhoods, and took to social media to voice their praise.
“This SNL sketch about Sábado Gigante is funny because it’s exactly like Sábado Gigante,” one X user wrote.
“Sábado Gigante sketch on SNL was both hilarious and accurate. Literally learned how to speak Spanish watching that show back in the late 90’s,” another person said.
“SNL” writer Steven Castillo, the skit’s lead writer who is Mexican American, tweeted a shoutout to “all the families that remember watching this show.”