'SNL' cast can't keep it together during a sketch where Ego Nwodim battles her steak dinner
Bowen Yang had to cover his face.
Pedro Pascal and Bowen Yang can't keep a straight face as Ego Nwodim tries to cut her steak.
Most episodes of Saturday Night Live are scheduled so the funnier bits go first and the riskier, oddball sketches appear towards the end in case they have to be cut for time. But on the February 4, 2023 episode featuring host Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian, The Last of Us), the final sketch, “Lisa from Temecula,” was probably the most memorable of the night.
That’s high praise because it was a strong episode with a funny “Last of Us” parody featuring the Super Mario Brothers and a sketch where Pascal played a protective mother.
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In “Lisa from Temecula,” Paul, played by Pascal, takes a few friends—played by Punkie Johnson, Molly Kearney, and breakout star Bowen Yang—out for dinner. The trouble comes when Johnson’s sister Lisa, played by Ego Nwodim, orders her steak “extra, extra well done.”
The sketch is a play on the notion that it’s a faux pas to order well-done steak, especially in a fancy restaurant. However, Lisa doesn’t care and won’t tolerate “one speck of red” on her steak.
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The sketch is one of the rare moments on SNL where things are so funny the cast breaks character. Pascal has difficulty getting through his lines and Yang has to cover his face because he can’t stop laughing. But Nwodim only has one small break in the scene and keeps it together as the sketch’s comedy core.
“Lisa from Temecula” got a lot of attention online, sparking articles, posts, and lots of praise. Shout out the sketch's writers Alex English, Gary Richardson, and Michael Che.
Sadly, Nwodim announced she was exiting SNL after seven seasons in September 2025. Her announcement came on the heels of a shocking cast shake up where showrunner Lorne Michaels announced a slew of departures, including fan favorite Heidi Gardner. "It's always hard when people leave..." Lorne told Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet of the 2025 Emmys, "...but change is good."
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This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.