Debbie Downer at a Birthday Party - SNL

Debbie Downer (Rachel Dratch) spreads some birthday cheer. [Season 30, 2004]
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[@Robinem]

As much as I love the character, a lot of the charm is the fact that they can't keep a straight face

[@TheDWB]

Oh yeah, these sketches would be fucking atrocious without the breaking. It's like TBBT without the laugh track.

[@ytyt3922]

darkwarriorblake2k atrocious?? Hardly! Debbie is hilarious and a relatable character, we all know someone like her.

[@mishaelfernandez1]

she's able to keep a straighter face in other sketches. i wonder why she couldn't "hold it" as much this time hahhaha

[@_ttnxo]

@@mishaelfernandez1 I read that this was a dress rehearsal.

[@j.s.t.6515]

The fact that they can't keep it is the only thing funny about this 😅

[@fredweller1086]

Debbie would have so much more to talk about today.

[@kendallbellors6102]

Awe debbie downer that is a sweet wish

[@endgame6979]

Lmao

[@dHolbach77]

They could have a new skit every week just on what 45*/the GOP has done that week to destroy America, democracy, the world...

[@capitalizingcapitalist1202]

@@dHolbach77 45 lol dont you mean Donald Trump. Btw Snl sucks and pretty much always has except for a few certain stars and skits.

[@bri13wvu1]

@@dHolbach77 hm like record low unemployment for black americans? You sound pretty thoroughly brainwashed my friend

[@kimberleyjones1697]

Watching Amy try so hard not to lose it completely is the funniest thing ever. 😂

[@kevinluttmann5717]

kimberley jones agree

[@cloudfactory2000]

You think this crap is funny? Good grief.

[@JoeKemp]

mark stuart humour is subject, I laugh at people who upload terrible performances of awful bands on their channel

[@casualobserver2380]

Kimberly declared this the funniest thing ever... You heard it right here folks.

[@ignorecorporatenews]

@@JoeKemp wish that I Could laugh at that, instead it just pisses me off

[@ericjamieson]

The trombone player is the real MVP. Those "WAH-WAH" stings are the main reason nobody can keep it together.

[@AwesomeFlamingoX]

to me that makes it hella unfunny

[@theL81Again]

Meooowww, meooooow!

[@jenniferfrazierlpc7171]

Yes!

[@logancampos2436]

Pretty much. In a nutshell.

[@thomasthomas2418]

Make a great ringtone....

[@steffywoo1]

affleck jus cant keep it together his laugh is awesome .. poor rachel it happens to her everytime she does debbie bless her

[@collectorduck9061]

half way through he's already just blatantly smiling and laughing

[@TheOneCleanHippy]

I don't think this would be nearly as funny without them breaking character.

[@ericjamieson]

The trombone player with the "WAH-WAH" stings after every joke is the real MVP. That's the main reason nobody can keep it together.

[@TRJ2241987]

This is actually the dress rehearsal of this sketch, when they did it live, nobody did break character and it did not go over very well with the audience. In the rebroadcasted version, they edited the episode to include this version of the sketch.

[@terrellchristian6553]

@Si Dunue I only find it funny when they break character. I've Neve been a fan of the show at all.

[@djlowtek]

It's written into the script

[@tornoofo17]

You can tell during the first minute and a half of the sketch. If no one breaks, it’s garbage.

[@BeGummi]

Debbie Downer should be a sketch about Debbie who always brings the mood down, but somehow the friends always crack up around her. very ironic in superb way

[@restinpeacekobe2411]

It's the wamp wamp

[@sneakerlove5313]

Ringo Brat my mother in law is a Debbie downer but she doesn’t bring herself down only other people are affected. It’s like she likes bad news. Very strange.

[@trigga31]

Ok mr. obvious

[@Jetman41]

Why does everyone break up hysterical in every one of these episodes. I understand Fallon does it every time but it’s corny to do it every time

[@Tommyoda]

3:09 • i lost it at Ben’s ”Yep..”💃😂😭

[@shaftshaft]

They all did

[@seventhsheaven]

1:35 Aired 2004? So the next tropical storm was Katrina, wasn't it? Wow, Debbie was right to be concerned. (whum, whumppp)

[@downnheavy]

daaaamn

[@JimmyVazquez1]

Playing the role?

[@roku401]

Katrina was 25 August 2005.

[@jboao]

Soooo surreal and true.

[@hanathatsme5]

yeah, 'K' was next. woh, that's crazy.

[@YamiSatoshi]

In a way, Rachel Dratch's chuckling almost seems to redefine the character -- not as someone who's just sad about everything but rather as a massive troll who goes out of her way to ruin everyone's good time, and it's actually even funnier from that perspective.

[@YamiSatoshi]

@Michael Richmond Naturally, it's not. She is a professional actor, after all. It is fun to think of it from that perspective, though.

[@Jukeboksi]

To me, the fact she's trying to hold herself from laughing makes her look like she's in real agony and ready to cry at any moment, which suits the anguish the character of a Downer feels constantly

[@amygdala51]

You're overthinking corpsing a very simple character on a sketch show. Good lord.

[@hangingwithmatty9465]

Good insight

[@bbennyj]

Totally

[@SuperWhammer1]

Fred Armisen is such a professional, how he keeps a straight face while everyone else is laughing, I don't know

[@MordyMordyMordy]

Watch any of the SNL "Garth and Kat" videos and you'll see that professionalism run out the door.

[@linofgomes]

He cracks a lot of times with Kristen and Bill

[@lucaslayton3974]

+Jacob Johnson They're supposed to be giddy on that sketch. It's their characters.

[@MordyMordyMordy]

Ninten Onett Uhh nope? No they are definitely 100% breaking character so I'm going to assume you're being super sarcastic

[@dero_oan]

+Jacob Johnson how about the Californians and the more recent Kissing Family? He cracks up there mostly

[@sabaducia]

Affleck choke laughing on the cake just kills me 😅😂

[@schtuff.8207]

"Oh by the way, its official, they found my birth mother... deceased." BEST LINE EVER

[@weirdalpopovich]

ben affleck's "yep" at 3:08 kills me

[@HughJass-313]

🤣🤣

[@abdullahalmomtan800]

Amy trying to look mad while she’s busting out laughing is officially my new favorite thing

[@chegadesuade]

That _Yep!_ at 3:08 from Ben holding back his laughter was the greatest.

[@faisalyaseen5664]

I like the fluctuations of Amy Poehler's facial expression

[@a-pathetic]

Ikr! 4:02 you can see her getting slightly pissed

[@billyeveryteen7328]

@@a-pathetic She's only getting pissed in character. Her character is supposed to be annoyed, but Amy's desperately trying to fight back the laughter.

[@nodnarb3540]

This is the one recurring skit that is just impossible to go off without a hitch. There’s just no way anyone can make it through without breaking character. That’s part of the charm

[@JosephSchneider26]

3:08 - Ben Afflecks weirdest noise ever :D

[@mayanknegi9167]

Joseph Schneider more like at 3:58

[@sabaducia]

@@mayanknegi9167 that's the exact bit where I lose it, because he's just shovelling cake in his mouth to stifle the laughter

[@lucyavarda1742]

I read that as "nose" lol

[@arnatri1503]

I guess he was trying to say, "I'm so excited!"

[@mog7501]

The "Meow meowww" after feline AIDS is underrated

[@dr.OgataSerizawa]

I’m thinking that the “Meow meowww” was never GIVEN a rating and should never receive one in the future. It’s a noise......cmon!

[@reislily9392]

I think they also have it in a constant in each Debbie downer episode, I'm rewatching all of them and so far it's been in this one and in the Disneyworld one, when they start to get mad at Debbie

[@DavidMiller-kf1ss]

​@@reislily9392educational purposes.😢

[@Kohinoor1994]

Ben just can't keep it together he is so adorable

[@millsj9383]

Daya Subramanian is he? he and casey are creepy pervert.

[@infinitegut]

@@millsj9383 wob wob

[@akisok0311]

@Howdy Justice how-

[@Yebi263]

Het hey not here

[@XanderBeckett1]

@@Yebi263 Exactly, so you can go away.

[@ericbenjaminlites]

“We’re not going near the Sudan Debbie” 😂

[@jermar1979]

Love Debbie Downer! They can never get through these sketches without laughing.

[@HughJass-313]

❤❤

[@rynehall9990]

It's a skill to deliver bad news with a grin

[@ultrazazzon]

amy trying to keep character at 3:17 onwards is the cutest thing

[@abueloorgulloso]

That monitone voice, zoom in dead pan face, and that horn got me dying!! Meooow Meooow😂😂😂

[@abdulbasitshaikh637]

2020 is the Debbie Downer of years.

[@tomjones8610]

And 2021 is shaping up to be the equivalent of Feline AIDS... ...the Number One killer of domestic cats!!! 🙀🙀😿

[@prince-solomon]

@@tomjones8610 MEOW-MEEEOOOW

[@KOSMICKEN09]

Life in general is a downer 🤣

[@brijmsn]

Then 2016 was the hannibal lecter of years.

[@WillowJordan1979]

My cat just died from feline AIDS and the "Meow meow" is still funny to me.

[@Alienkiwi730]

3:53 even the boom mic operator is losing it

[@iainbeech5879]

I love it how Amy tries not to laugh, keep it together and remain serious but it is difficult with Debbie Downer around...pure comedy gold

[@joelmarte7059]

I laugh at ben Affleck he cant keep a straight face lmao he couldn't say im so excited 😂😂😂😂😂

[@PhilipGreenShow]

Laughing along with this all night! x

[@greyson1769]

Does your friend still work at Barratts?

[@MrStonks31]

Hello verified youtuber

[@adam_mma]

ha ha no :l

[@tfpp1]

I also really love Amy's reaction at 4:28 to the deceased punchline.

[@devendra_c]

Hahaha...Ben completely crackd up!! tooo hillarious!!

[@ViolentRainbow]

Seems fake and forced to me but whatever...

[@Lucky_Chase]

This skit and the Disneyland one are classics!!! Perfection.

[@j0ellyfish]

I love when the cast cracks. It's too funny even for them.

[@Fr3derick88]

Poor Rachel. Hahaha! Her best character.

[@bluebutterflywellness2273]

3:58: Ben's composure has left the building...

[@JD-rt8ym]

Rachel as Debbie is so Hilarious!! She is perfect for not...almost...cracking up! Thanks for the laughs!!!

[@brandonlopezfox]

1:58 she genuinely forgot to give him his present 😂

[@missyvonne100]

The music as they zoom into her face plus the non stop random laughing makes these classics .... R.I.P K&G 🏀🏀

[@dero_oan]

Damn Ben cracks up easily but he could get back in character very easily

[@dr.OgataSerizawa]

Here nearly 8 years since this was posted, and laughing my ass off once again. This will never get old!

[@BellaSwan20121]

He couldn't say his line without laughing! I laughed so much that I started coughing.

[@rosedavis6549]

When they laugh it’s so contagious 😂😂 I love that these sketches always end in people breaking character

[@Kaden10]

When they break it's ten times funnier.

[@82finesse]

The comments to the camera to the facial expressions is PRICELESS

[@alizaloring3437]

I don't think I ever saw a snl skit wit this much laughing and breaking character from the entire cast. I'm here for it!

[@dondee5439]

These DEBBIE DOWNER skits have got to be the hardest SNL skits to keep a straight-face by the cast and guest-host. Regular FRED ARMISEN seems to be able to handle it best here with MAYA RUDOLPH being next. One of the best parts of these DD skits is judging who is struggling the most.

[@shellyedmb117]

This is one of my favorite characters. I love that they can't hold it together 😂😂😂

[@blackspider1405]

Maya Rudolphs face at 2:23 gets me everytime..

[@lise891]

Amy's facial expressions, priceless.

[@nh4ci295]

3:03 someone snorted from laughing

[@zackdenardis]

0:21 for the first time after having watched this multiple times over multiple years I just realized they re-dubbed this and now I want to know what the original was before it was changed to “poor”

[@tcrump212IsLmbrJck_t]

Maybe it just didn’t sound good. It looks like she might have combined the words together.

[@mitchelldrake6069]

Debbie Downer is just a millennial in the wrong time period.

[@ronaldbigdon1802]

Ok Mitchell

[@matthewvaughn8026]

As a millennial I have to agree Mitchell lol.

[@DuderinoDeux]

Pre Gen X

[@xenshia]

Nah, She portrays that being a downer can transcend generations; that things suck all the time and have for ages.

[@strangepizza3534]

Probably right, boomer.

[@mariotexeira3918]

The Debbie downer skits are the best. Watching the actors trying to keep a straight face is hilarious

[@miquelquiles727]

Yo I laughed so hard at this that my tears came out I swear I haven't laughed this hard at anything in a while SNL is awesome

[@T--kq3pj]

3:09 that high pitched yeah tho

[@M15F1T1127]

Rachael breaking character is almost as adorable as Vanessa Bayer's smile

[@PaulRizzo]

Even when he’s laughing so hard that he can’t get his lines out, Affleck is still the bomb!

[@theomeletteguy9353]

Ben Affleck was the bomb in Phantoms, yo!

[@PaulRizzo]

The Omelette Guy Nootch!

[@theomeletteguy9353]

@@PaulRizzo Snoogins

[@PaulRizzo]

That Girl I see. And you’ve got solid, verifiable evidence of that? Didn’t think so. Just another bandwagon jumper.

[@ELB1337]

Ben started struggling😂😂😂 "yeaaaaahhppp"

[@timmars2076]

She really can't do this character without laughing.

[@ashwinf12]

When it comes to funniest character breaking sketches the Debbie Downers are on top

[@ohioguy215]

I love it when they can't stop breaking character.

[@nimishagupta8548]

i loved amy from 3:13 to 3:26....omg soo cute trying to suppress laughter but couldn't

[@piyathmafernando20]

nimisha gupta yeah it was very cute..

[@wilvanwyk4478]

That sound and the zooming in on Debbie's face after she brought the mood down is just the cherry on the cake! lol

[@tammykelly446]

Honestly Debbie Downer always has me laughing til my stomach hurts!!! 🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂😅

[@Rescue162]

3:00 - The "we're going to Kenya" part is the best part.

[@Skylooo]

its so infectious how they cant contain their laughter.

[@azucenarosales9930]

(0:31) She tried to warn us...

[@joshuahoward6845]

It’s almost like Rachel didn’t see her lines until Live, like later with Bill Hader and Stefon

[@MsTilly]

I'm freaking crying!!! This is the funniest debbie downer 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@stevarino1989]

Aww come on even funnier than the original one at Disney World? lol. =P

[@MsTilly]

@@stevarino1989 true that was the funniest!

[@analogpark8059]

I think the close-ups on Rachel are a big part of what makes it so hard for her to keep it together. Like she's gotta pace herself so as to both deliver the joke and hold the face for a sec.

[@gregduke5812]

I love her so much. Beyond underrated.

[@daxbradley4346]

Who else is watching during the pandemic? They say they might not have a cure, even next year... *WAH...wah...waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah...*

[@corneaterman]

And just 8 months later, I’m 2 vaccines in (not a cure, but kinda close). Too bad all that boredom put on some pounds... wah wahhhh

[@daxbradley4346]

@@corneaterman They say with this new strain, the vaccine might not even be effective (slow zoom) *wah waaahhhhhh*

[@srbell67]

@@daxbradley4346 that’s actually not true. Turn off fake news CNN

[@boobajooba1017]

And to make matters worse my job closed down & i'm running low on my unemployment! 😟 womp womp wooommmppp

[@dr.OgataSerizawa]

@@srbell67 Are you saying turn off CNN and turn on Fox? Waaa waaaaaaa.

[@loosekanen]

Fred's shirt is da real mvp here

[@DarknessIsThePath]

At 2:22 Horatio knows he and the rest are doomed to laugh LMAO

[@wickedNwoozy]

the sound effects with the zoom is comedy af😂

[@potatosmasher1072]

1:53 LMAO THE SMILE

[@thaevilgenius3]

3:10 Afflecks voice cracks & IM CRRRRRYYYYING!

[@lockariques]

that 'yep" is the cutest lol

[@Neon_Dion]

I love how much Rachel loves this role 😂😂😂😂

[@mydjmode]

Rachel Dratch is SO hilarious and underrated!

[@ochsj1971]

3:53 A boom mic makes a cameo appearance. I don't think even the stagehands could keep it together, either...lol.

[@lukirakiraajaih9106]

I watch it a hundred times and still get laugh at it ! the hilarious moment start from 2.16 i think 🤣

[@georgemallory797]

I love it when Rachel can't hold it together. I am amazed she holds it together at all during these.

[@fockingreat1125]

1:29 I just realized no one gave Ben Affleck a fork so he's just shoveling cake into his mouth the whole sketch LOL

[@DarknessIsThePath]

Lmao

[@Daughterofmoses77]

I wish they brought her back she is my fave I have cried laughing with her skits

[@kellyk.6093]

This episode, along with the episode with Lindsey Lohan, are my favorite"Debbie Downers!"

[@teamshaboobalu2887]

@ 3:27 - She can't even spit it out lol.

[@JS-tk2co]

Fred is the only one who didn’t break character

[@HauntFreak13]

Ironic that this sketch is way funnier when they’re all laughing.

[@nancypacheco7340]

I love when they break chraracter...that's funnier then the skit! Lol..😂🤣 I love Ben Affleck ❤️

[@bbennyj]

I like how they can’t even hold back their laughter, Lol

[@kabsmoumou]

Ben: Yuuhhhhppp😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@alexisday644]

Lmaoooooo

[@blkhat117]

When Ben voice cracked saying YEP I lost it.

[@orgasmatron-xxx]

She's trying so hard not to break character, there's a vein bulging on her right cheek 🤣

[@channelchenes4541]

"You know what, Debbie? You're taking a royal crap on my birthday party!" *[stifles laughter]*

[@54raynor]

One of the most underappreciated sketches in SNL history. Had it not been for the first Debbie Downer, this one would be a legendary cast break.

[@easybreezy2402]

It's only funny when they crack up XD

[@elizabethcosslett8937]

I wish Debbie would do some more!! I have watched these too many times!!

[@notforone]

he's so adorbs this is hilarious