The following is a list of recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced between September 24, 2011, and May 20, 2012, the thirty-seventh season of SNL.

J-Pop America Fun Time Now

Michigan State University students Jonathan Cavanaugh "san" (Taran Killam) and Rebecca Stern-Markowitz "san" (Vanessa Bayer) present a campus TV show based on their obsession with, and profound misunderstanding of, Japanese pop culture. Their Japanese studies professor and reluctant faculty advisor Mark Kaufman (Jason Sudeikis) is less than enthusiastic about the show, pointing out that the hosts are not speaking actual Japanese and are the worst students in his class. Unfortunately, he has no choice because he has to be present in order for the show to happen. When accused of racism, Jonathan points out his Japanese girlfriend (Fred Armisen, who thought he was Japanese- but found out he is actually 1/4 Korean).

In an interview with Vulture, Bayer said she did not think the J-Pop sketch was racist:

We're obviously making fun of a certain kind of person that loves that culture so much and is sort of ignorant about it. That's why we have [Jason Sudeikis] there to put us in our places a bit. It's certainly not meant to be racist. I hope the majority of people don't think of it that way.

Reception to the sketch has been mixed, with several reviewers growing weary by its fourth appearance. Ryan McGee of HitFix said: "I used to love this sketch, but at this point, I would rather see a digital short involving Jason Sudeikis' horrified professor after a taping of this show. I think they've milked this as far as it can go." The Huffington Post's Mike Ryan felt similarly, writing, "We got the joke a long time ago. Most recurring sketches try to develop personalities for its characters. Unfortunately, when the gist of the joke is, 'These two are doing something offensive and they don't realize it,' it's hard to give them meaningful personalities." However, Vultures Joe Reid said, "In classic SNL fashion, it's the one-joke premise stretched out over countless repetitions, but I am so fond of Taran Killam and Vanessa Bayer, I could watch them bounce around to that theme song all day." Hillary Busis wrote for Entertainment Weekly that "It’s been long enough since the sketch last appeared for Bayer’s anime eyes, Killam’s wig, and the pair's cultural insensitivity...to be amusing again."

Rob Bricken of Topless Robot called the skit "a 100% accurate recreation of the most obnoxious portion of anime fandom".

Appearances Season Episode Host Notes 37 October 15, 2011 Anna Faris Faris appears as an anime fanatic. 37 December 10, 2011 Katy Perry Perry appears as a Hello Kitty fanatic. 37 March 10, 2012 Jonah Hill Hill appears as a samurai sword collector. 38 December 8, 2012 Jamie Foxx Foxx appears as a gi salesman.

Lord Wyndemere Lord Cecil Wyndemere (Paul Brittain) is a 47-year-old man dressed like an 18th-century fop, who prances around and desires "sweets". He is loved by his girlfriend's father (Jason Sudeikis) and hated by others, such as his girlfriend's brother Steven (Andy Samberg).

Following the January 31, 2012 announcement that Brittain was departing the show immediately, several sources expressed disappointment that there would be no further appearances by Lord Wyndemere, whom Entertainment Weekly called "wonderfully weird."

Appearances Season Episode Host Notes 37 October 15, 2011 Anna Faris 37 January 7, 2012 Charles Barkley

Getting Freaky with Cee-Lo Green! As Cee-Lo Green, Kenan Thompson hosts a talk show to help people with their sex lives. The show also features Bill Hader as "Colonel Nasty."

Season Episode Host Notes 37 November 5, 2011 Charlie Day 37 February 4, 2012 Channing Tatum

We're Going to Make Technology Hump

Andy Samberg and a female co-host host a television show devoted to acting out pornographic vignettes using various technological devices as the characters (e.g., an iPad as a wealthy hotel guest who recognizes his chambermaid, a video game controller, as a downtown callgirl).

Both the first and second appearances of the sketch were well received. Calling it "so-stupid-its-funny", Katla McGlynn of The Huffington Post wrote: "The funny part is the dialogue, which is so soap opera-y and over the top that it sounds hilarious coming from an iPad or a curling iron in a tiny yet dramatic bedroom set. Not to mention the notion that this could actually be a show, or that it would be hosted by friendly, upbeat young people and not some creepy techno-file." On the sketch's return, Sarah Devlin of Mediaite noted that "the production values were much higher this time around! I thought perhaps the joke would have worn thin, but then I laughed my head off...They've still got it!" Wired'''s Angela Watercutter wrote, "'Technology Hump' shouldn’t be funny. It's only mildly amusing when kids make G.I. Joe and Barbie play doctor, so having a beeper and a Nintendo Entertainment System gun engage in a beach rendezvous should be just plain weird. But when it incorporates the age-old trick of making a digital numeric screen spell out "80085" it's just too hard not to laugh."

Season Episode Host Notes 37 November 12, 2011 Emma Stone 37 February 11, 2012 Zooey Deschanel

Drunk Uncle Drunk Uncle (Bobby Moynihan), real name Dale Norway, appears on Weekend Update to deliver a rambling monologue deriding the culture of the day, in particular young people, food, and technology. In each sketch, he complains about people not dressing up for a particular event. Each sketch also features Drunk Uncle singing one or more poorly-rendered songs, rambling on about things, Seth Meyers insisting he's too drunk, and Drunk Uncle making one or more politically incorrect statements toward minorities or immigrants. Drunk Uncle is a stereotypical middle-aged blue-collar American (an exterminator by trade) who is married with an extensive family. Originally written by Colin Jost, an earlier prototype of the character was inspired by Moynihan trying to make his friend Chris Gethard laugh.The Huffington Post wrote in November 2012 that "Moynihan provides the perfect vessel for the spirit of avuncular alcoholism...He covers every aspect of your typical drunk uncle, including 'back in my day' folksy-isms, a luddite cynicism of all modern technology and quaint anti-immigration rants, all of which inevitably give way to mournful laments on his own failures in life." Moynihan later created a plot for a potential Drunk Uncle movie, in which the character would save the world from aliens, in addition to quitting alcohol.

Moynihan told Newsday that Drunk Uncle "is probably the funnest [of his characters] to do right now, by far, just because the process of writing it is the funnest part in the world." Moynihan co-writes the Drunk Uncle appearances with Colin Jost.

In December 2012, Moynihan appeared as Drunk Uncle with Seth Meyers at 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief.

Season Episode Host Notes 37 December 3, 2011 Steve Buscemi 37 January 7, 2012 Charles Barkley 37 April 7, 2012 Sofia Vergara 38 September 20, 2012 None (Weekend Update Thursday) 38 November 10, 2012 Anne Hathaway 38 April 7, 2013 Melissa McCarthy Special appearance by Peter Dinklage as Drunk Uncle's brother-in-law, "Peter Drunklage." 38 May 18, 2013 Ben Affleck Appears with other characters in the background of Stefon sketch. 39 September 28, 2013 Tina Fey Aaron Paul appeared in cameo as "Meth Nephew". 39 December 14, 2013 John Goodman Goodman appears as "Drunker Uncle". 39 May 10, 2014 Charlize Theron 40 October 25, 2014 Jim Carrey 41 November 7, 2015 Donald Trump 42 May 20, 2017 Dwayne Johnson Final regular appearance of Drunk Uncle, due to Moynihan leaving the show. 48 October 29, 2022 Jack Harlow Special guest appearance. 50 February 16, 2025 50th Anniversary Special Drunk Uncle appears as the partner of The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation with at a Party.

Janet Peckinpah Bobby Moynihan plays a dowdy, weird, obnoxious woman who's surprisingly successful at seducing celebrities. Moynihan has said Janet is one of his favorite characters.

Appearances Season Episode Host Notes 37 February 4, 2012 Channing Tatum Janet picks up Tom Brady (Tatum) at a bar, on the night before the Super Bowl. 38 January 26, 2013 Adam Levine Janet brings Levine (as himself) back to her apartment after a concert.

A Janet Peckinpah sketch was scheduled to air on May 3, 2014; the sketch was cut from the episode before airing, but was released online. The sketch featured Janet bringing host Andrew Garfield back to her apartment after the premiere of The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Bein' Quirky with Zooey Deschanel Abby Elliott portrays Zooey Deschanel hosting a talk show from her kitchen. Her sidekick is Michael Cera, played by Taran Killam. The theme of the talk show is to interview "quirky girls", a trait which Deschanel herself is stated, within the sketches, to exemplify. Zooey and her guests have pointed to Mayim Bialik and Björk as exceptionally quirky girls that they look up to as role models.

Appearances Season Episode Host Notes 37 February 11, 2012 Zooey Deschanel Deschanel appears as Mary-Kate Olsen. Kristen Wiig appears as Björk. 37 April 7, 2012 Sofia Vergara Vergara appears as Fran Drescher.

How's He Doing? Kenan Thompson leads a panel discussion of African-Americans reviewing Barack Obama's performance as President of the United States. The other panelists are Ebony writer Ronny Williams (Jay Pharoah) and a third panelist played by the host. They conclude with "What Would it Take?", in which the panelists assess what it would take for President Obama to lose their support.

Season Episode Host Notes 37 February 19, 2012 Maya Rudolph Rudolph appears as Althea Davis and they cover issues regarding the president's unfulfilled promises since his election. 39 November 2, 2013 Kerry Washington Washington appears as Alice Roger Smith. The panel discusses topics like the NSA wire-tapping scandal and the troublesome start for Obamacare. 40 November 1, 2014 Chris Rock Chris Rock and the cast discuss once again President Obama.

B108 FM Richard (Taran Killam) and The Buffalo (Bobby Moynihan) host a 5:00 morning zoo radio show in Shakopee, Minnesota. Vanessa Bayer appears as the station's serious news reporter, "Karen" whom the hosts call "MC Jigglebutt" and attempt to get her to rap the news, much to her chagrin.

Season Episode Host Notes 37 March 4, 2012 Lindsay Lohan Lohan appears as "Illiterate Lisa." 38 January 19, 2013 Jennifer Lawrence Lawrence appears as intern "Miss Busty Rhymes" (who can't make a rhyme to save her life).

The Californians

A soap opera parody featuring Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, and others as wealthy blondes with valley girl accents (Valspeak) exaggerated almost to the point of incoherence. Each "episode" opens with the Soapnet logo and Bill Hader's voice-over announcement: "Next on The Californians." The title sequence shows the pouring of a glass of white wine and some beach front property, with an acoustic guitar lick and chords that are reminiscent of America's "Ventura Highway" on the soundtrack.

Armisen's character, Stuart, owns the house in which the action occurs. His wife Karina (Wiig) is unfaithful (she is said to have died in a car crash when Wiig left the show). Hader plays Devin, a romantic rival and antagonist to and long lost brother of Stuart; a recurring line is Stuart's "Devin? What are you doing here?" Vanessa Bayer appears as a Latina maid, Rosa, the only brunette character. Kenan Thompson occasionally shows up as a party-goer and friend of Stuart and is also an escaped convict.