‘SNL’ Wishes You a Merry Christmas With the Help of “Sump’n Claus”

With the latest ‘SNL’ arriving only 10 days from Christmas, a holiday sketch was inevitable. And while it must have been tempting to go down the “family dinner goes horribly wrong” route (which is basically sketch comedy 101), the show decided to go slightly more bizarre. Thanks to his brand new music video, the entire world now knows the existence of Sump’n Claus.

Played by longtime cast member (and frequently underutilized secret weapon) Kenan Thompson, Sump’n Claus is a snappily dressed version of Santa who takes care of the people who end up on that infamous naughty list. Any by “take care of,” we mean he gives them thick envelopes full of cash. You see, Sump’n Claus used to work at the North Pole, but after an intimate encounter with Mrs. Claus, he found himself out of work with an axe to grind. Now he spends his time rewarding the naughty and singing about it through an oddly catchy song.

It's always fun to Thompson get something to do on ‘SNL,’ since the show typically utilizes him as a supporting player and not a lead. This is a strange character, but Thompson makes it work, taking a song that has no right being as catchy as it is and elevating it by actually not hamming it up too much. The sketch is no classic, but it’s a solid holiday parody and a nice reminder that every member of the cast deserves the spotlight once in a while.