USA TODAY - Seth Meyers has long been one of my favorite Saturday Night Live writers. It could be because we're the same age, but mostly because he's the kinda-quiet droll sort who can bring the one-liners. So I can't let his final episode of SNL pass without looking back at some of his best moments.
So enjoy a few classic Meyers moments, check USA TODAY Sunday for a recap of his final episode and start counting down to Feb. 24, the first episode of Late Night With Seth Meyers.
10. Donald Trump's House of Wings (2004)
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Normally, I'd be loathe to give the Donald any play, but my reluctance is trumped by the opportunity to show Meyers singing and dancing in a chicken suit. Plus, he told ESPN that it was one of his all-time favorite sketches. "On my way to rehearsal, I was walking down hall in costume and I passed NBC news anchor Brian Williams, who coolly intoned, 'Living the dream, Meyers?'" Good times."
9. Appalachian Emergency Room (2005)
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I can't pass up the chance to show Meyers sporting a mullet. (Plus, I grew up down the street from SNL's Emmy-winning wig wrangler and if there's one hairstyle you learn after spending your youth in Bethel, Ohio, it's the mullet.) But keep your eye peeled for the Neil Young cameo.
8. Harry Potter (2012)
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Meyers puts on a ginger wig and squeaky voice as Ron Weasley, who, along with Harry, is quite taken aback by Hermione's (Lindsay Lohan) physical development over summer vacation.
7. Lincoln (2012)
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Awkwardness is timeless, as proven by this sketch, written by Meyers for host Louis C.K. "It's good, right? You gettin' all emancipated?" the 16th president asks a freed slave (Kenan Thompson) before admitting, "I don't have any black friends." What follows is a perfect copy of the Louie opening credits, complete with top hat and writing, directing and editing credits for Abraham Lincoln.
6. 'Girls' parody (2013)
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For Tina Fey's most recent episode in September, Meyers added a fifth 'Girl' to Lena Dunham's HBO sitcom. Blerta was an Albanian refugee who slaps Shoshanna (Vanessa Bayer), warning her, "If you speak, they will know you are simple. If they know you are simple, they will drown you in river."
5. Peyton Manning United Way PSA (2007)
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Meyers credits the star quarterback with coming to him and former 'SNL' writer Akiva Schaffer with the concept for this public service announcement, which begins with him getting a group of kids psyched up for a day of football and teamwork and quickly devolves into hitting them with balls and insults. "You suck," he admonishes one boy. "I can't even look at you. Go sit in the portolet for 20 minutes."
4. Natalie Portman Rap (2006)
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It's easy to forget Meyer was even in this Digital Short, what with all the posturing, swearing and slapping by the Harvard-educated actress during her interview with Chris Parnell. But if you go back and watch carefully, Meyers was on the business end of one of her pimp slaps.
3. Really!?! Michael Phelps (2009)
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My favorite of all the Meyers' 'Really!?!' rants was inspired by the Olympic swimmer's marijuana mini-scandal, which came a few months after his 8-medal haul in Beijing. Meyers went to bat for Phelps, who had just hosted that year's season premiere, calling out Kellogg's for dropping his endorsement deal ("Really, Kellogg's? Marijuana's not consistent with your image? I thought it was totally consistent. Every one of your mascots is a wild-eyed cartoon character with uncontrollable munchies.") Meyers also has choice words for USA Swimming and the person who sent Phelps' bong shot to the tabloids.
2. Sarah Palin/Hillary Clinton (2008)
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Tina Fey got all the attention for her eerie impersonation of the 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate but Meyers is the one who put the words in her mouth. He's the one who wrote "I can see Russia from my house."
1. Stefon and Seth's wedding (2013)
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This sketch had everything but most of it all, it finally acted on the unspoken hoyay between Bill Hader's club kid city correspondent character and 'Weekend Update' anchor Meyers, who finally abandoned his straight man role and broke up Stefon's wedding to Anderson Cooper. As an added bonus, every wedding guest -- from Gizblow the coked-up Gremlin to infamous running back Blowjay Simpson -- was a callback to a previous Stefon sketch.
