The Story Behind the SNL Googly Eyes Plant Sketch

Saturday Night Live has a history of producing bizarre sketches that rely on a simple, absurd premise. One of the most memorable examples of this minimalist comedy is a sketch that combined mundane hobbies with a strange visual gag, leaving audiences both unsettled and laughing.

Identifying the Googly Eyes Sketch

The sketch, officially titled “Indoor Gardening Tips From A Man Who’s Very Scared of Plants,” first aired on April 5, 2008. It featured host Christopher Walken as Walter, a man offering gardening advice to the camera. He explains that he has affixed googly eyes to his houseplants, reasoning that one needs to maintain eye contact with them.

The premise escalates as Walter moves from the prickly cacti to his ferns, expressing a deep-seated fear that they could choke him in his sleep. The central joke is Walter’s complete seriousness as he treats his plants as sentient beings. He demonstrates his method, showing relief after making “eye contact” with one plant but expressing grave concern over others, including a large plant he can’t get the eyes to stick to, which he decides must be removed.

The Cast and Their Roles

Christopher Walken’s performance is central to the sketch. His unique, halting delivery and presence turn the simple act of gluing plastic eyes onto a fern into psychological drama. Walken plays Walter with an unnerving placidity, making his fear of flora seem almost logical. He handles props with a strangeness that adds to the character’s unsettling nature.

While the segment is a solo piece, performers of that era like Will Forte, Amy Poehler, Kristen Wiig, and Fred Armisen were prominent. They frequently played the straight men to a host’s eccentric characters. Their roles in similar sketches involved grounding the absurdity by reacting with believable alarm, which heightened the comedy.

The Enduring Popularity of the Sketch

The sketch remains a classic example of SNL’s surreal, character-driven humor due to its simplicity. The comedy comes from the juxtaposition of a mundane activity with a single, silly visual. A man putting googly eyes on plants becomes memorable when filtered through a specific, peculiar character.

Christopher Walken’s persona is what elevates the material from a one-note gag. His ability to sell the quiet intensity of a man who needs to look his ficus in the eye to feel safe is a primary reason for its appeal. The sketch’s lasting popularity lies in this pairing of performer and premise.