Maya Angelou's 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Laughs!' Prank Show - SNL

Maya Angelou (Maya Rudolph) pranks friends and esteemed colleagues Morgan Freeman (Jay Pharoah), Dr. Cornel West (Kenan Thompson) and Stephen King (Bill Hader) on her new show I Know Why the Caged Bird Laughs! Aired 02/18/12
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[@JammastaJ23]

"It was an act of whimsy" is one of the great SNL lines. Great writing, perfect delivery.

[@plaslaiko]

Totally underrated sketch! Maya's nod when she says "it was an act of whimsey" puts it over the top. SO good!!!

[@stvp68]

Agreed! Profound too.

[@LS-ry5ey]

thisssss omg

[@joanosborn6772]

She shoulda aspirated the "wh" though.

[@seanluzdeluna8153]

"Sister Maya, was this an act of malice?" "No Brother West, it was an act of whimsy..." "Well then, I accept." That GAVE ME LIFE!

[@havardmj]

hwimsy*

[@lindiwengwevela524]

That one made my day!

[@seanluzdeluna8153]

@@havardmj thanks for the correction man! I was actually struggling with how to spell whimsy in Maya Angelou's amusing accent/droll! Lol! That's good!

[@seanluzdeluna8153]

@@lindiwengwevela524 ikr! It's a good one! ;)

[@TheRnBFan]

Yeeeeeees!!!!!! 😂😂😂👍🏽

[@jonathanheidenreich8565]

"Sister Maya! Was this an act of MALICE?" 😂 His West is amazing.

[@bobbybobbinson]

Jonathan Heidenreich It was an act of hwimsey

[@joaped]

Maya is so underrated, among the top of snl for me

[@shrodingerscat4191]

She's not under-rated

[@user-pp1on4fk7d]

Shut up with the underrated nonsense, yall annoying as hell with that word! Learn a new word and use it correctly!

[@nw1750]

"She's Ange-looney" Honestly one of the best skits EVER!

[@raym.778]

"I feel no shame sittin' in that pastry. Just human nature I suppose." "Yes." "It has been an honor." 😂 😂 😂 😂

[@matthewscott1091]

“No brother West. It was an act of whimzzzy” 😅 Maya Rudolf did such a good job of making fun of a legend like Maya Angelou while being 100% respectful. Which is why it’s still so funny even though the talented Ms. Angelou left us in 2014. ✌🏼

[@michellelaguerre8760]

As a big fan of Maya Angelo , Maya Rudolp respectfully brought laughter to some of Maya‘s Angelos words

[@seanluzdeluna8153]

"The Sands of Time are like rain on a tin roof, never Stopping, never Ceasing... Now, watch me punk Stephen King." YASSS! Such brilliant and inspiring poetry.

[@seanluzdeluna8153]

"It appears I've sat in a Pie!" "I suppose you have." That was perfect!

[@hwright0663]

LOL "I should know, I am a police womaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan"

[@PalmurcioWorld]

"it was an act of hhhhwhimsy" best impersionation of Maya Rudolph ever xD

[@bobbybobbinson]

This is so hilarious. Their calm, dignified responses are to die for

[@Daniel-be6cj]

The overwhelming sense of awe and respect they have once they realize it's her sells this so hard

[@seanluzdeluna8153]

The way Stephen King gasps when Maya Angelou takes off the hat, very endearing.

[@amalzuhair4495]

I must say I’ve never seen a better Maya Angelou impression it was perfect so was Bill Hader as Stephen King and Jay Pharaoh as Morgan Freeman were just 👌😘

[@alstevens7060]

C'mon. You must be employing sarcasm. She totally missed the mark in this uninspiring, unfunny performance. Look up DAG's Butterfingers.

[@bradleyscarton3931]

Perfect? She doesn’t even come close to Maya Angelou. Have you seen DAG, Tracy or Keenan’s impressions? They nailed the Angelou voice, speech pattern, attitude.

[@novicio]

flawless morgan freeman

[@lucu01]

that voice

[@bubbam20]

I miss Maya so much. She made every skit work even when it was stupid.

[@bobbybobbinson]

Jason Mutz She just had such a way of being funny. I don't get how she did it but I love it She was on Kimmy Schmidt as a well known singer whose name escapes me. Check it out.

[@hamzahalasadulloh7779]

Max she was dionne warwick! And yes she hilarious. And in the good place too, i couldn’t stop laughing when she spoke

[@amaria005]

I love Maya Rudolph. She does hilarious impersonations. I cried out laughing watching this.

[@erikaruiz530]

this skit is so underrated lmfao

[@IsaacMaganaMusic]

Chi chi should have watched this before Snatch Game hahaha

[@madyalvarez428]

Chaco M LMAO I was just thinking this

[@nardo218]

wholesome sketch is pure and lovely. "It's an honor." Yes it is.

[@seanluzdeluna8153]

I also love Stephen's look of confusion. That also gives me life! 😁

[@johnregardtrhode5280]

Damn... Bill Hader really does look like Stephen King...

[@tomripsin730]

He does a really convincing voice too. And with only a few words.

[@mackenzie_ish]

Now this is only thing I'm going to think of when It Chapter 2 comes out 😂

[@imtryingmybest673]

Yeah he could play him in a biopic or something!

[@seanluzdeluna8153]

@@imtryingmybest673 ikr! Fo real!

[@yojiviriak675]

Maya impersonates Maya

[@GeorgiNM]

I am a police wammaaaaaaan

[@GeorgiNM]

I did it. I-i-i have removed the bottom of you' bayg. In an act of hwimseh.

[@AutumnLuvsJesus]

Georg M LMAO spot on 😂

[@seanluzdeluna8153]

Georg M YASSSSSSS!

[@suphyori]

RIP Maya Angelou

[@aprestn]

1:15 - It was an act of hwhimsy... 🤣 the delivery was perfect!

[@kckc18]

I thought this would have more views. This sketch is so genius. If someone pitched this, I wouldn't think it would work. But this totally does! And without being disrespectful. "So honoring!" Ha

[@alternatereality7301]

cause its geo restricted i guess

[@simonjenkin]

so many great line reads in this, from "it whas an act of whimsayy" to "i should know, i am a po-lice wahmaaan". maya is always the best at that

[@sanjayahlawat2826]

Maya always gets it right.

[@seanluzdeluna8153]

"What has happened here?!" One of my favorite lines from the video! 😁

[@chroniclesofalivingdeadgirl]

Whoa Bill! He's not wearing much makeup but he really looked like Stephen King here.

[@gugumthembu300]

I am the riverrrrrrr lmao!!

[@RedSkies30]

The narrator be havin me crackin up...lol..."shes angelooney"...🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@seanluzdeluna8153]

God, I wish this had been an actual show.

[@celiainsidemusic]

this has to be one of my fave SNL moments of all time

[@millennialfalcon8958]

No Brother West, it was an act of whimsy ❤️

[@starringvincentprice]

The Stephen King bit is now much funnier now that Bill is in IT 2

[@reenougle]

Maya is so funny in everything she does.

[@perrinfan]

She is incredible!!! Maya forever.

[@RETROGEMS]

My favorite Maya Rudolph sketch!

[@rachelwright5750]

One of my favorite stretches. I wish they would have made more of these.

[@jacobsgrl1]

Maya was the best part of SNL, she is so funny 😂 😂 😂

[@sabrinaadam3701]

Yesss this sketch is everything lol

[@claireguizon2096]

i love maya angelou!

[@rustykettle6889]

This warms my cold dead heart. (Metaphorically)

[@MissDraiha]

I would expect this to be 'sensible chuckle' funny but it's actually 'crying laughing on the toilet' funny. WHYYYY??

[@humanphillips3091]

omg everyone was gold . Nailed it. That Maya angelou was hilarious

[@Mrscillianmurphy19]

this is so good and so underrated

[@ElizaAspen]

coming here repeatedly to scrape up the last scraps of serotonin my brain can produce

[@TheFoxxsean]

Please please can Maya do more Maya on SNL

[@ethanhill9738]

Sista Maya pranks with the best.

[@rosierosy4525]

I love maya!!

[@jiveturkey2347]

This was just so awesome!

[@777jones]

Just realized this is Maya playing Maya

[@McBaller96]

This skit was so funny to me!!!

[@amaria005]

No Brother West, it was an act of whimsy 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@TheFoxxsean]

Can someone please advocate for more Maya Angelou skits

[@Quartz_111]

I would watch this

[@erinmalone2669]

Bill really does look like Steven King!

[@valerieoyola6804]

omg bill as stephen king is great

[@frankfrisenda5730]

"Hwhat has happened here?" Kills me every time

[@haytakhaytak189]

Funny to see Hader as king since he was in it two a few years ago,

[@MinnesoTristan]

Maya Angelou is one of Maya Rudolph's best roles, and I never noticed that this originally aired during Black History Month.

[@priscillaqwilson3324]

Maya is prettymuch comic genius.

[@emolyemu89]

I forgot about this one!! Seriously one of my all time faves!!

[@GabrielKerr]

She’s Angelooney! 😂

[@blues.baseball.badanxiety]

That impression was... the best.

[@hannahdelvecchio7521]

I couldn’t really find her skit for 12 days of Christmas on here on KZbin

[@P1995.]

Hello Child 😂😂

[@noelleirving5131]

It has been an honor

[@jessicarose3421]

The sound effects 😅😅😅

[@Melissa-tw2gp]

Dr. West’s Afro pick is a nice touch.

[@robertrostad3930]

That’s a spot-on Steven King impression.

[@jochenau9164]

Yes. Just...yes.

[@MalolaAnime]

Oh, wow... This is a great impression of Angelou.

[@yolorodriguez4794]

"No... it was an act of whimsy."

[@gmosphere]

Maya playing Maya

[@mikeharlow]

Still watching this in 2019 😂

[@affectionateanarchy9503]

I think of this so often omg

[@wu939]

I laughed SO DAMN HARD

[@Xenite]

God damn this is hilarious.

[@beuxjmusic]

This has immediately jumped up ionto my top # sketches... Not SNL sketches - ALL sketches.

[@integra8472]

Maya Rudolph you will always be famous

[@upimulyana8596]

Richie Tozier played by Stephen King himself..

[@asdasdasdasd714]

Weirdly wholesome.

[@iasonastassis3544]

Make more of that

[@dtripodi]

This was better than it seems

[@theTrend7]

I did it.......looooool

[@yarezig.moonshine1972]

Wow!He sounds just like Morgan Freeman

[@glendale6]

Snl gets rid of jay and keeps Che! ???

[@aaroncohoon5603]

I like her impersonation of Dr. Maya Angelou better than Keenan's

[@Chesterton7]

Hilarious.

[@ThoughtCollqpse]

This is what my no no lemon square looks like

[@tinastanley4444]

Oh Lord, this is the funniest shit i have ever. Omg i can't its just so lol

[@almostshawn3230]

I totally expected when Stephen King recognized Maya Angelou, Maybe would reveal she really did have his car towed and he'd run out the room.

[@mrstevens70]

This was funny!

[@gunungmerapiapi1933]

HER FACE

[@ladyhonor822]

Lmfao that's what I ❤ Philadelphia USA 🇺🇲 AMEN ☦️🙏😇❤️💋🩰🥂😱😱😱🙀🧛‍♂️🦇

[@thenycestmc]

they needed David Alan greer for this too