Ep 7. Jennifer Love Hewitt/Beastie Boys

Saturday Night Live season 24 episode 7, titled Jennifer Love Hewitt/Beastie Boys, aired on November 21, 1998. Hosted by Jennifer Love Hewitt, the episode featured musical guest Beastie Boys.

The episode opened with a cold open sketch that parodied the ongoing impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton, with Darrell Hammond playing Clinton and Ana Gasteyer playing his wife Hillary. The sketch poked fun at the various accusations and scandals plaguing the Clinton administration at the time, including the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the Whitewater investigation.

The monologue saw Jennifer Love Hewitt addressing the audience and recounting her experiences as a child actor, including her role on the hit television show Party of Five. She then jokingly lamented the fact that she was no longer a child star and would have to compete against more established actors for roles.

The first sketch of the night was a recurring one, called "Martha Stewart Living," with Ana Gasteyer playing Stewart. This sketch saw Stewart offering tips on how to decorate for Thanksgiving, including how to make elaborate table settings and themed centerpieces. However, her tips ended up being more elaborate and obsessive than practical.

Another sketch that stood out from the episode was a fake commercial for a fictional product called "Rap Masterpiece Theatre," which saw various hip-hop artists rapping the works of Shakespeare and other classic literature. The sketch was a clever parody of the sometimes pretentious nature of the hip-hop genre, as well as the tendency for high culture to appropriate elements of pop culture.

The "Rap Masterpiece Theatre" sketch was followed by another musical performance by the Beastie Boys. The legendary rap group performed their hit single "Intergalactic," which was a popular song at the time.

Other sketches in the episode included a parody of the game show "Jeopardy!," featuring Will Ferrell as host Alex Trebek and Norm Macdonald as contestant Burt Reynolds. The sketch saw Reynolds constantly interrupting the other contestants and hijacking the game show for his own purposes.

Another recurring sketch, called "The Ladies' Man," saw Tim Meadows playing a smooth-talking ladies' man who dispenses relationship advice to his listeners. In this particular sketch, he takes a call from a woman who suspects her boyfriend of cheating on her, resulting in some hilarious advice and interactions between the characters.

Overall, the episode was a solid entry in the long-running sketch comedy series. As with most episodes of Saturday Night Live, some sketches landed better than others, but the show is always capable of delivering memorable moments and laughs. With Jennifer Love Hewitt as host and the Beastie Boys as musical guests, this episode certainly did not disappoint.