I’d argue that no one has had a more interesting career arc than YouTuber, influencer, and performer Trisha Paytas. As one of the internet’s most controversial yet adored content creators, Paytas has left her mark on almost every corner of the entertainment industry. And now, she’s officially established herself as a mainstream icon by knabbing a coveted spot on Saturday Night Live (SNL). The thing is, as someone who’s been following Paytas for quite some time now, I can guarantee that her surprise appearance on SNL was always part of the plan.
For anyone who hasn’t seen the already-viral episode which aired on Saturday 7 December 2024, Paytas featured in a sketch about Spotify Wrapped alongside a number of different cast members including fan-favourite Bowen Yang and host for the night Paul Mescal.
Now, Paytas is no stranger to TV. In fact she’s been on our screens in one form or another since the early 2000s. For example, does anyone remember the time she was in an Eminem music video?
Or that period when Paytas appeared on a plethora of reality TV shows including Celebrity Big Brother and America’s Got Talent:
Paytas has also always been a huge advocate for reaching for the literal stars, living in an arguably constant state of ‘if I want it, I can have it’. The influencer’s perpetual self-belief is definitely admirable and I think it’s that mindset that’s helped her achieve so many life goals. So, where does SNL fit into all of this?
View this post on Instagram
Well, back in 2021—when Paytas was still shooting the Frenemies podcast with co-host Ethan Klein—lots of comments were dropped about the influencer’s future and whether she would leave Klein behind on the podcast to appear on SNL… Talk about the powers of manifestation.
The internet is already pretty obsessed with Paytas so it came as no surprise to me that everyone was going to flock to X and TikTok to share their thoughts and feelings on the SNL episode.
Some of my favourite reactions came from people who were just marvelling at the sheer amount of lives this individual had led… There’s quite simply nothing she hasn’t done at this point:
Some of the other most priceless reactions came from netizens who were dying at the sheer absurdity of a Paytas x Mescal collaboration. I would have paid big bucks just to be a fly on the wall overhearing those two interact.
And then there were the most wholesome reactions of them all: people who were simply so happy for Paytas, given the extremely turbulent journey she’s had over the years.
Paytas is in no way shape or form a perfect person—she’s been labelled controversial for a reason. However, the content creator has been a massive source of comfort and support for millions of people online. Moreover, she was arguably one of the first influencers to truly open up about mental health struggles on the internet, a decision that brought her a lot of criticism at the time. So, with SNL now checked off the bucket list, I wonder what Paytas will do next?