Please Don't Destroy Recalls How They Managed the Pandemic-Era “SNL” Christmas Episode with Host Paul Rudd (Exclusive)

Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy, the comedy trio behind Please Don't Destroy, reflect on their time working on Saturday Night Live during its 47th season. The group recalls their first Christmas episode, which aired on December 18, 2021, hosted by Paul Rudd, who was inducted into the Five-Timers Club.

While Please Don't Destroy has concluded its four-season run of producing and starring in digital shorts on the show, Marshall, Higgins, and Herlihy remain fond of their early experiences on SNL. Their journey began in season 47 with their on-screen debut on October 9, 2021, in the "Hard Seltzer" sketch, followed by their involvement in the memorable Christmas episode later that year.

Despite the challenges posed by a new COVID-19 variant, which forced SNL to produce the episode with a reduced crew and no live audience, the trio looks back on this experience with nostalgia. The episode, though impacted by the pandemic, marked an important moment in the show's return to Studio 8H after season 45's remote episodes.

Ben Marshall recalls, It was our first year, and there was a crazy COVID breakout. The episode almost got canceled. He adds, Tina Fey and Tom Hanks were there, trying to figure things out. Though Marshall and Higgins were able to test negative for COVID, Herlihy contracted the virus and had to work remotely. I was so jealous that I didnt get to be there for this weird one-of-a-kind episode, says Herlihy, who is now a writer on SNL's 51st season.

Despite the complications, Paul Rudd and a few other cast members carried the show forward. Marshall shares, It ended up being just him and a few others on stage, introducing pre-recorded sketches. The lack of a live audience, canceled guest appearances (including Candice Bergen, Jimmy Fallon, and Jon Hamm), and axed musical performances (like Charli XCX) made the episode feel different, but Rudd, Hanks, and Fey still presented a collection of classic holiday sketches.

Despite the unique circumstances, Higgins fondly remembers a moment from the end of the show when Rudd closed with a line the trio had written: As my good friend, Tom Hanks, once said in a movie, life is like a big, weird chocolate bar. Sometimes its delicious, other times its got that orange-cream filling in it and its like, Okay, its not what I would have chosen, but thats better than nothing.

Higgins also recalls how the trio was working remotely in their office, sending jokes via landline phones and finalizing the episode's material. It was so cool, he reflects on the experience.

As for this years Christmas episode, hosted by Ariana Grande with musical guest Cher, Marshall and Herlihy admit they haven't started thinking about it yet. Marshall jokes, Everything at SNL happens at the last minute, while Herlihy adds, Ill start thinking about that episode at 5 p.m. on Monday. Marshall does express excitement about Ariana Grandes return: We totally hit it off with her last time, so its going to be a fun one.