Alum Debbie Matenopoulos reveals how SNL writers hilariously tried to kill her character in sketches that gave real behind-the-scenes vibes.
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‘The View’ ex-co-host Debbie Matenopoulos laughs and says, “Those people were hell bent on killing me!” about these notorious SNL sketches.
On her surprise comeback on ‘The View’, she spilled the beans on how she became comedy’s most favourite punching bag – and to be honest? She’s totally chill about it, boss!
“Kill Debbie” Comedy Obsession
When Sunny mentioned that there were always attempts to kill her on SNL sketches, Matenopoulos just smiled. “Yes, yaar, it always did!”
Remember that crazy “Dare Debbie” segment? Bill Geddie’s wild idea had her jumping out of planes, performing awkward belly dances, and playing basketball with WNBA stars.
The SNL writers got hold of this concept and took it hilariously into dark territory!
Real Story: Big Age Gap Drama
“Wow, the SNL writers? Amazing guys, they got it perfect,” Debbie revealed.
The sketches captured the real vibe of whoever was on set – she was basically a kid in the middle of legends.
“Star Jones was the closest person to me in age, and she was 17 years older than me!” she explained.
“I was just a clueless youngster in the middle of all the powerhouse women.”
Joy also confirmed it to everyone, telling them that Regis called her the “Young One.”
From Club-Hopping to Hot Topic
“Everyone was like, ‘Who is this random girl?'” Debbie laughs. “These ladies have built amazing careers, and I was just there – fresh out of NYU and MTV!”
The generation gap quickly became awkward. While others discussed serious issues, Debbie would say in the middle: “OMG guys, last night’s concert was EPIC!”
Her co-hosts simply squirmed in disbelief. “Barbara would literally pinch me under the table,” she admitted, in real pain.
SNL’s Cruel Joke
Cameron Diaz famously played Debbie in a season 24 sketch where “Dare Debbie” meant being trapped with an angry raccoon while her co-hosts celebrated her suffering. Before that, Ana Gasteyer’s version was trapped in a real cage.
“I always looked like a complete airhead to everyone,” Debbie admitted.
Her Final Word
After being fired from ‘The View,’ Debbie appeared on SNL herself.
She started by embracing the ditzy stereotype, but then turned the script around with a sharp, clever monologue that proved she was smarter than most people thought.
At just 22 years old, Debbie is the youngest permanent co-host in ‘The View’ history, commanding screens from 1997 to 1999.