Ever wonder what could make a star-studded Saturday Night Live sketch disappear before it even hits the airwaves?

In a revealing podcast chat, Maya Rudolph, now 53, spilled the beans on a 2007 SNL sketch featuring herself, former President Barack Obama, Amy Poehler, and Darrell Hammond that got the axe during dress rehearsal for Season 33, episode four, as the New York Post reports.

This wasn’t just any skit; it was a Halloween party setup where Rudolph and Hammond were to play Hillary and Bill Clinton, with a punchline hinging on Rudolph impersonating Obama—until the real Obama would unmask himself for a big reveal.

A Halloween Skit That Never Was

Rudolph dished out the details on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast earlier this month, painting a picture of a comedic moment that could’ve been iconic but fizzled before the live show.

“The joke was going to be that I come in like, ‘I’m Barack Obama!’ and then he taps me on the shoulder with his mask and takes the mask off,” Rudolph explained on the podcast. Let’s be honest—while the concept sounds clever, banking on a celebrity cameo to land the laugh feels like a risky bet in a show already packed with sharp talent.

During rehearsal, Rudolph met Obama just before stepping onstage, decked out in a Brooks Brothers suit and a wig, only to get a cryptic quip from the then-new political star about his outfit choices.

Obama’s Suit Comment Stumps Rudolph

“[He] came over and I said, ‘Well, what do you think?’ And all he said to me was, ‘I don’t wear a three-button suit,’” Rudolph recalled on “Good Hang.” Now, call it a generational gap or just a sartorial jab, but expecting a comedian to decode menswear critique mid-rehearsal might be asking too much—even for a talent like Rudolph.

Ultimately, the sketch didn’t make the cut, and Rudolph herself admitted she had no solid take on impersonating Obama at the time, which likely didn’t help its case.

Instead, the episode aired a different Halloween party bit with Obama appearing as himself, alongside Poehler as Hillary Clinton and Jason Sudeikis debuting his Joe Biden impression—Rudolph, notably, didn’t take on the Obama role.

Behind the Curtain of ‘SNL’ Decisions

Why was it pulled? While no official reason was given, Rudolph’s own reflection that she lacked a strong impression of Obama suggests the bit may have felt half-baked to producers in a high-stakes live environment.

Let’s not pretend SNL hasn’t taken risks before, but in an era where every political joke is dissected, perhaps they dodged a bullet by not airing a skit that might’ve been seen as punching down at a rising figure.

Rudolph, a veteran of SNL from 2000 to 2007, has since hosted the show three times and even portrayed Michelle Obama during her tenure, proving she’s no stranger to political satire done right.

Rudolph’s Career Beyond the Skit

Fast forward to today, and Rudolph stars in Apple TV+’s Loot, a comedy series that dropped its Season 3 finale on Dec. 10, following her character Molly Novak navigating life post-divorce with an $87 billion settlement.

Her “Loot” co-star Joel Kim Booster, 37, has sung her praises for her kindness and sage advice during their time filming, highlighting her off-screen warmth in an industry often criticized for its cutthroat nature.

While some in Hollywood push progressive agendas through their roles, Rudolph seems to focus on craft over ideology—a refreshing stance when entertainment often feels like a soapbox. Her long-term partnership with filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson since 2001 also paints a picture of stability in a world of fleeting celebrity ties.