Cheri Oteri: Where Was She During ‘SNL 40th Anniversary Special?’

Cheri Oteri was missing from Sunday night’s SNL 40th Anniversary Special, so no live replay of the Spartan cheerleaders (a role she played alongside Will Ferrell) took place. Fans are likely rel...
Cheri Oteri: Where Was She During ‘SNL 40th Anniversary Special?’
Written by Kimberly Ripley

Cheri Oteri was missing from Sunday night’s SNL 40th Anniversary Special, so no live replay of the Spartan cheerleaders (a role she played alongside Will Ferrell) took place. Fans are likely relieved, however, to learn that Cheri Oteri’s absence wasn’t from lack of an invitation, however. She wasn’t able to attend due to a scheduling conflict.

Twitter blew up with fans who were understandably dismayed to learn that Cheri Oteri wasn’t on the long-awaited Saturday Night Live show. While visiting Watch What Happens Live on Monday night, she talked about her absence. It seems her scheduling conflict couldn’t be resolved until the eleventh hour, and by then it was simply too late to take part in or even attend the show.

In addition to being a Spartan cheerleader with Will Ferrell, Cheri Oteri was known for her Barbara Walters impersonation.

Cheri Oteri recently recalled a time when Barbara Walters pulled her aside and asked her how she perfected the impersonation?

“I said, ‘Well, usually you’ll give three very specific compliments, and then you go in for the kill.’ Like, ‘You’re an Academy Award-winning actor, you’re an accomplished concert pianist and you just put out your first hip-hop record. Why the porn?’ But she does it slowly. First she seduces them with compliments, and then she goes in for the kill, and I thought that was so interesting. And when I told her, she just looked at me like, ‘Hmm, do I do that?'” Oteri explained.

Were you among those who missed Cheri Oteri on the SNL 40th Anniversary Special on Sunday night? If so, you’re definitely not alone.

What was your favorite Cheri Oteri impersonation or character throughout her years–from 1995 to 2000–on Saturday Night Live?

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