A Guide to Tennis' Power Couples, Past and Present (Including the Legends Who Have Been Married for 25 Years!)

Love is on and off the court for thesetennisplayers.

Naturally, during a grueling 11-month season that takes them all around the world, a few tennis players have found lasting partnerships with their fellow athletes. As the 2026 French Open kicks off in the City of Love, read about all of tennis's sweetest romances, from retired legends to active duos.

Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi

With a total of 31 Grand Slam titles and twoOlympicgold medals between them, it's fair to say thatAndre Agassi and Steffi Grafare tennis's most legendary couple. However, they didn't start dating until Graf's final year on tour, in 1999. After Agassi's divorce from actressBrooke Shields, the two tennis players hit it off, and days before Graf gave birth to their first child, they tied the knot in a low-key 2001 ceremony in front of their moms.

“I’ve had a crush on Steffi since I first saw her doing an interview on French TV,” Agassi wrote in his memoirOpen. “I was thunderstruck, dazzled by her understated grace, her effortless beauty.”

They share two children, son Jaden and daughter Jaz, and over two decades later, the pair still can't get enough of the court! In March 2025, theytold PEOPLEthat they play pickleball regularly (but never against each other).

Elina Svitolina and Gaël Monfils

France's Gaël Monfils and Ukraine's Elina Svitolinaare tennis's modern-day success story. The two athletes, who have both reached the top 10 in the world, began dating at the tail end of 2018. They got engaged in April 2021 and got married three months later. Svitolina took a break from the tour in 2022 to give birth to their first child, Skaï.

"We’ve been building a life full of love, laughter, and beautiful memories ✨ Today, I look at this photo… and I realize I have everything ☺️🙏🏾," wrote Monfils onInstagramin celebration of their fourth wedding anniversary. "Seeing you both is my greatest victory. Thank you for being there, thank you for being you. I love you both more than anything. ❤️"

Svitolina later rejoined Monfils on tour, going right back to her winning ways. In 2025, Monfils announced he will retire from tennis after the 2026 Paris Masters, ending his 22-year professional career.

Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter

Australian top 10 player Alex de Minaur and Britain's Katie Boulter dated for four years before announcing theirengagementin December 2024. With their busy tour schedules, the pair have not tied the knot yet, but when asked for anupdatein January 2026, de Minaur toldJim Courier, "We are doing as much as we can together."

He continued, "I've been involved so far in some of the decisions — I'm sure when it comes to details of like napkins and flowers and decoration purposes — that's not my forte, I'll leave that to Katie."

Roger Federer and Mirka Federer

BeforeMirka Federerwas the frequent star of her husbandRoger's player box, she was a top-100 women's tennis player, but a recurring foot injury forced her to retire early in 2002. The two Swiss athletes married in 2009, nine years after competing together at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Mirka gave birth to their first set oftwins— daughters Myla and Charlene — later that year, and another set of twins, sons Leo and Lenny, in 2014.

She accompanied Roger on tour until his retirement in 2022, and the star often credits his longevity and success to her support.

"She has warmed me up before finals, watched countless matches even while over 8 months pregnant and has endured my goofy side on the road with my team for over 20 years," he said in hisretirement announcement.

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Madison Keys and Bjorn Fratangelo

Grand Slam championMadison Keys's relationship with fellow American playerBjorn Fratangelois successful in more ways than one. The couple met while training at the same facility in Boca Raton, Fla., and began dating in 2017. They married in November 2024, with several of their close tour buddies in attendance.

After Fratangelo's retirement in 2023, he joined his significant other's team as her coach, and with her husband by her side, Keys won her maiden major tournament at the 2025 Australian Open.

“Now having achieved the biggest thing in our sport and the fact that we got to do it together is just, I mean, it’s one of my favorite things,” Keystold PEOPLE in 2025.

Flavia Pennetta and Fabio Fognini

Italian tennis stars Flavia Pennetta and Fabio Fognini have both found success on their respective tours. Fognini reached top 10 in the world in 2019 and won the 2015 Australian Open men's doubles tournament, while Pennetta won her maiden singles Grand Slam at the 2015 US Open. After her victory, she shocked the world by announcing her retirement from tennis at the end of the season.

Pennetta and Fognini married in 2016, and Fognini retired from the sport in July 2025. They share three children — whose names all start with "F," too: Federico, Farah and Flaminia.

Denis Shapovalov and Miriam Bjorklund

Canadian tennis star Denis Shapovalov and former Swedish player Miriam Bjorklund married in an intimate ceremony in Zakynthos, Greece, in September 2025.

"It was the most beautiful start to our marriage and we are so excited to spend forever with each other," the bride told PEOPLE of the nuptials.

Shapovalov added, "Every day we had in Zakynthos with our close friends and family was better than we could have ever asked for and I’m so excited I got to marry my best friend in such an incredible setting.”

Daria Saville and Luke Saville

Daria Saville (née Gavrilova) swapped her flag on tour from Russia to Australia after becoming an Australian citizen, partly influenced by her relationship with Aussie tennis player Luke Saville. They became engaged in December 2018 and married almost exactly three years later.

While Luke retired from tennis in January 2025, Daria is still active on tour, but took maternity leave after announcing her first pregnancy. She gave birth to the couple's first child, son Louie, in March 2026.

Radek Štěpánek and Nicole Vaidišová

Czech compatriots Radek Štěpánek and Nicole Vaidišová have a long history. They became engaged in 2007 and married in 2010 in Prague, four months after Vaidišová's first retirement from tennis. In 2013, the couple announced that they would divorce, and she returned to tour the following year.

Five years later, they reconciled and remarried in 2018. The pair have since welcomed two children, daughters Stella and Meda.

Read the original article onPeople

byCosmopolite

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May 18, 2026

A Guide to Tennis' Power Couples, Past and Present (Including the Legends Who Have Been Married for 25 Years!)

Love is on and off the court for thesetennisplayers. Naturally, during a grueling 11-month season that takes them all around the ...

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Jason Sudeikis stars in Visa's 'Tap In' World Cup campaign

Erling Haaland is likely to score a tap in goal in Norway's first appearance in the World Cup since 1998. But Visa wants fans to tap in, too.

The credit card company continues its longstanding partnership with FIFA and is the official Worldwide Payment Technology Partner of the tournament. They announced the "Tap In" campaign on Monday, May 18 to create a parallel between the tap-in goal, known as the easiest form of scoring, and how fans seamlessly tap their cards to pay for everything they need to enjoy the World Cup.

Jason Sudeikis is the star of a series of ads that shows how speed, security and fun are key elements of the tournament.The "Ted Lasso" actoris shown in various scenarios using his Visa card with his signature positivity and wittiness.

Frank Cooper, Visa's CMO, spoke on how the company was intentional about highlighting the speed of the World Cup and the security of the credit card while not sacrificing storytelling and the human element.

"That is exactly what we saw as our core challenge about a year ago," Cooper told USA TODAY Sports. "We can do something that is highly entertaining and inspirational, and there's a lot of value in that, because reigniting consumer passion around your brand is always a good thing.

"Our goal was a bit different. We did want to communicate the idea of trust and what underlies trust, and because we think that is going to be core. It's always been core to anything that involves money, by the way, but it's certainly increasingly core as you move into new forms of transaction, as fraud increases, as you know people want to make sure that they have zero liability, and so we want to communicate that.

"The question was, our challenge was: communicate that message, but put it in an entertaining wrapper. That was the goal.... A key unlock for us was Jason Sudeikis, and for us, Jason represented not just the character Ted Lasso, but he represented optimism, that anything is possible, that you can fulfill your dreams."

While Visa has its headquarters in Foster City, California outside of San Francisco, executives are careful to present it as a global company just like the World Cup is a global tournament. One of the ads makes this clear in a fun, lighthearted way.

Sudeikis asks to have a hot dog for every country where Visa is accepted (it's more than 200). He starts listing several nations: Australia, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, the United States, Ivory Coast and South Africa. A worker behind the counter hands him a hot dog for each country and the actor is about to keep rattling off countries, but the hot dogs run out.

Even though Cooper emphasizes that Visa is a global brand, he still has hopes that the United States hosting the World Cup will grow the love of the beautiful game in the country where American football is king. He points to the opportunity this tournament has through digital and social media as a potential means of helping Americans get involved in soccer.

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"I think this could be an inflection point because of the excitement around this particular game," he said. "We may not have as many die-hard fans in the U.S., although that's increased a lot. We have more social fans, but in this one we're gonna have FOMO fans. People who feel like, 'I'm missing out on something. It's like a phenomenon descending upon three countries. I gotta be a part of it.' And once you kind of sense, feel the excitement, I think you get drawn into the sport."

Lamine Yamal, Jorge Campos, Andrés Cantor and, of course, Haaland are also involved in the campaign.

The ads are meant to lead to deeper fan engagement. Fans will be able to register online to win prizes throughout the tournament, including tickets to matches andJeff Hamilton jackets, which Cooper calls "beautiful" and "collectors items." When a tap-in goal is scored throughout the tournament, more prizes and features will be unlocked. There will also be collaborations with artists and immersive pop-ups at stadiums during the World Cup.

In 2024, Visa made its first global sports partnership in 15 years when it joined forces with Cash App tobecome a title sponsor of the Racing Bulls Formula 1 team.In February,Visa renewed and expanded the partnership, which also includes support for the Max Verstappen-led Red Bull Racing.

Cooper said that the motorsport series shares similar traits with the World Cup like speed and the pursuit of excellence that make both important partnerships for Visa. The Racing Bulls team is known for having some of the most exciting, thoughtful liveries in the sport, including when theycollaborated with Nigerian-British artist Slawn for the 2025 British Grand Prix.

"Whether they're winning at the moment or not matters less, even though I like winning more than I like losing. What matters is the values that they have, the pursuit of excellence that they all take, the constant state of improvement," Cooper said.

"One of the things that is core to our brand positioning is that we try to champion everyday progress, the people moving forward, and we think that happens in small steps. I don't think it happens in big leaps. It happens in small steps. One transaction at a time is kind of a representation of that.

"What we see in F1 is that. It's constantly tweaking, improving, trying to get better. You see it in all sports, honestly, but in Formula 1, and with Visa Cash App Red Bulls racing team, you see it every single day. They're just constantly trying to make small improvements to get toward excellence, and so for us that kind of reflects who we are as a brand."

Even with the success of the Formula 1 partnership, the World Cup is special for Visa. There are 104 matches in 16 cities across three countries and an expanded field of 48 teams for the 2026 competition. Cooper is looking forward to the opportunity of facilitating the "pop-up economy" around the tournament.

"This is our extravaganza, too, right?" he said. "It’s like the game itself, but it's also the World Cup of payments at the same time."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Visa enlists Jason Sudeikis for World Cup 'Tap In' campaign

byCosmopolite

in

May 18, 2026

Jason Sudeikis stars in Visa's 'Tap In' World Cup campaign

Erling Haaland is likely to score a tap in goal in Norway's first appearance in the World Cup since 1998. But Visa wants fans to ta...

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Pope Leo to issue first major work, addressing AI, on May 25

VATICAN CITY, May 18 (Reuters) - Pope Leo will ‌release his first in-depth ‌document, expected to address the rise ​ofartificial intelligenceand challenges to workers' rights, on May 25, the ‌Vatican announced ⁠on Monday.

The text, known as an encyclical, ⁠is also likely to decry the wars roiling ​the world. ​It will ​be titled "Magnifica ‌Humanitas" (Magnificent Humanity) and was formally signed by the pope on Friday ahead of publication, a statement said.

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Leo, the ‌first U.S. ​pope, will take ​part ​in a Vatican ‌presentation of the text ​on ​the day of its publication, in an unusual move ​for ‌a Catholic pontiff.

(Reporting by ​Joshua McElwee, editing by ​Gavin Jones)

byCosmopolite

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May 18, 2026

Pope Leo to issue first major work, addressing AI, on May 25

VATICAN CITY, May 18 (Reuters) - Pope Leo will ‌release his first in-depth ‌document, expected to address the rise ​ofartificial intell...

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SEC baseball tournament bracket, schedule, how to watch

TheSEC Baseball Tournament scheduleis set.

Georgiaclinched theregular-season championship for the first time since 2008and the No. 1 seed last weekend.

Defending SEC tournament champion Vanderbilt is the No. 12 seed, whilepreseason No. 1 LSUis the No. 14 seed. It's been an unpredictable season down South.

Top seeds and bubble teams:NCAA baseball tournament bracket projection

The full SEC Tournament schedule and bracket is below:

When is 2026 SEC Baseball Tournament?

• Dates: Tuesday, May 19 through Sunday, May 24

• Location: Hoover, Alabama

SEC Baseball Tournament Schedule

All times Eastern

TUESDAY, MAY 19

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• Game 1:  No. 9 Ole Miss vs. No. 16 Missouri, 10:30 a.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 2:  No. 12 Vanderbilt vs. No. 13 Kentucky, approx. 2 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 3: No. 10 Tennessee vs. No. 15 South Carolina, approx. 5:30 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 4: No. 11 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 LSU, approx. 9 p.m. (SEC Network)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20

• Game 5:  No. 8 Mississippi State vs. Game 1 winner, 10:30 a.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 6: No. 5 Florida vs. Game 2 winner, approx. 2 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 7: No. 7 Arkansas vs. Game 3 winner, approx. 5:30 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 8: No. 6 Auburn vs. Game 4 winner, approx. 9 p.m. (SEC Network)

THURSDAY, MAY 21

• Game 9: No. 1 Georgia vs. Game 5 winner, 4 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 10: No. 4 Alabama vs. Game 6 winner, approx. 8 p.m. (SEC Network)

FRIDAY, MAY 22

• Game 11: No. 2 Texas vs. Game 7 winner, 4 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 12: No. 3 Texas A&M vs. Game 8 winner, approx. 8 p.m. (SEC Network)

SATURDAY, MAY 23

• Game 13: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 1 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 14: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, approx. 5 p.m. (SEC Network)

SUNDAY, MAY 24

• Championship Game: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner, 2 p.m. (ABC)

What channel is 2026 SEC Tournament?

• Channels: ABC | SEC Network

• Streaming: ESPN app | FUBO (free trial)

SEC baseball standings

Conference records in parenthesis; italicized teams are locked into seed:

1. Georgia (24-6) 

2. Texas (19-10)

3. Texas A&M (18-11)

4. Alabama (18-12)

5. Florida (18-12)

6. Auburn (17-13)

7. Arkansas (17-13)

8. Mississippi State (16-14)

9. Ole Miss (15-15)

10. Tennessee (15-15)

11. Oklahoma (14-16)

12. Vanderbilt (14-16)

13. Kentucky (13-17)

14. LSU (9-21)

15. South Carolina (7-23)

16. Missouri (6-24)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:SEC baseball tournament 2026 bracket, schedule, standings, TV channel

byCosmopolite

in

May 17, 2026

SEC baseball tournament bracket, schedule, how to watch

TheSEC Baseball Tournament scheduleis set. Georgiaclinched theregular-season championship for the first time since 2008and the No....

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J Balvin Says Son Rio, 4½, Loves to Pick Out His Own Outfits (Exclusive)

J Balvin's son Rio, 4½, has a strong sense of style and picks out his own outfits, the singer told PEOPLE

NEED TO KNOW

• The musician also said that whatever his young son "wants to do, I'm going to support him"

• J Balvin shares Rio, who turns 5 in June, with longtime girlfriend Valentina Ferrer

At just 4½ years old,J Balvin's son already has a killer sense of style.

The 41-year-old singer shares sonRio, who turns 5 in June, with longtime girlfriendValentina Ferrer. At the KidSuper x Jameson Capsule Collection event in Brooklyn, N.Y., on May 6, Balvin told PEOPLE exclusively that his mini-me has inherited a love for fashion and art, regularly picking out his own "fly" outfits.

"Now he's like, 'Yo, let me get this hat. What if I match these sneakers with this hoodie?' " the "I Like It" singer said at the event celebrating soccer and the World Cup, held at KidSuper Studios. "So I'm like, 'Okay, guy, you know what you're doing.' "

The proud dad also said that while Rio shares his love for style, he has yet to adopt an interest in sports—and that's totally fine with Balvin.

"He might be more into the arts, I think," the singer told PEOPLE. "But whatever he wants to do, I'm going to support him. Whatever he wants. I hope it's not music. There's too many ways to be happy."

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Balvin, a massive soccer fan, co-owns the soccer team Super Niños FC with KidSuper designer Colm Dillane. The two collaborated with Major League Soccer and Jameson Irish Whiskey's "It's What You Bring" campaign to launch a soccer-inspired capsule collection, designed by Dillane.

Dillane has styled looks for Balvin before, but the partnership marked the first time they worked together on a fashion project. Balvin said the two are closer than ever, especially now that they're both "grown-ups."

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"It's different," the musician said of their relationship as collaborators. "We're more mature."

The campaign has also offered Balvin a chance to blend his love for fashion, sports and music. The singer dropped a new single with Ryan Castro, titled "Pal Agua," for the launch.

Balvin told PEOPLE that much like his music — which inspires people to dance, even if they don't know the words — sports are a "universal language."

"What's music without sports, and what's sports without fashion? Everything is connected," he said. "That's what we call culture. Sports, the way we dress, the way we express ourselves in music. When you're feeling, when you're dressing, you feel like you have your swag on. Nothing better than listening to good music with a good game."

As for fatherhood, Balvin previously opened up to PEOPLE about how he and Rio spend their free time, and how his son has changed his lifestyle.

He said in 2023, "When you have a son, you want your kid to be betterand not commit the same mistakes we did."

"You can talk a lot, but you've got to lead by example," the global superstar added at the time. "I do it because I really enjoy it, but if I give that example to my son, it'll be beautiful. Because actions speak for themselves. That really is key in life."

Read the original article onPeople

byCosmopolite

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May 17, 2026

J Balvin Says Son Rio, 4½, Loves to Pick Out His Own Outfits (Exclusive)

J Balvin's son Rio, 4½, has a strong sense of style and picks out his own outfits, the singer told PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ...

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See Will Ferrell’s 11 Funniest “Saturday Night Live” Moments

Will Ferrell made a name for himself when he was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2002

NEED TO KNOW

• During his time on the sketch comedy show, he created several memorable characters and landed hilarious impressions

• Ferrell returned to SNL for the season 51 finale on May 16

Will Ferrellhas had too many hilarious moments onSaturday Night Liveto count.

The comedian got his start on the sketch comedy show when he starred as a main cast member from 1995 to 2002. During his time onSNL,Ferrell made a name for himself with his impersonations — including formerPresident George W. BushandHarry Caray— and creative fictional characters — such as Craig Buchanan, David Leary and Marty Culp, among others.

Even after Ferrell leftSNL, he reprised several of his beloved roles for years to come. He's hosted the show five times from 2005 to 2019 and returned to the gig for theseason 51 finaleon May 16.

While promoting the upcoming episode, Ferrell paid homage to one of his famous sketches, "Get Off the Shed," in apre-taped skitwith cast membersChloe FinemanandSarah Sherman.

Here, take a look back at some of Will Ferrell's most memorable moments fromSaturday Night Live.

"More cowbell!"

While there are no shortage of standout moments from Ferrell's time onSNL, one that might immediately come to mind is the "More Cowbell" sketch from season 25 in 2000.

Ferrell, who also wrote the skit, starred ascowbell player Gene Frenklefor the Blue Öyster Cult band.

The skit follows Gene and fellow band members — played byChris Parnell,Jimmy Fallon,Chris KattanandHoratio Sanz— as they record the song "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" for music producer Bruce Dickinson (portrayed by guest hostChristopher Walken).

As the group records the song, Bruce insists over and over again that he needs "more cowbell" from Gene — who is also dressed in a low-cut, form-fitting brown shirt that rises up and gets in the way of his bandmates. "More cowbell" irritates the rest of the bandmates to no end, but Bruce doesn't give up.

The sketch became so well-known that Walken even told Ferrell he's frequently asked to play the cowbell and joked that the sketch "ruined my life."

"Get Off the Shed!"

One of Ferrell's first sketches that made him a beloved cast member was one that he auditioned with and later brought to the stage as "Get Off the Shed" in season 21 in 1995.

The simple yet humorous skit revolves around Frank Henderson inviting over his new neighbors (played byDavid KoechnerandNancy Walls Carell) for a barbecue. While having casual conversation, Frank tells his off-screen children to "get off the shed."

As the situation plays out, Frank gets more and more upset with his kids and ends up screaming at the top of his lungs, "Get off the damn shed!" while taking off his belt as a threat, to which the neighbors beg the kids, "Please get off the shed!"

Ferrell referenced the famed 1995 sketch while promoting season 51 ofSNLwhen he repeatedly screamed, "Get off the damn stage!" in a teaser.

"Spartan Cheerleaders"

Another one of Ferrell's most memorable earlier roles was overly excited high school wannabe cheerleader Craig Buchanan in the 1997 season 23 cold open sketch "Spartan Cheerleaders at Tryouts."

Ferrell played Craig alongside fellow hopeful cheerleader Arianna (Cheri Oteri) as they do every strange and gravity-defying moves to make their high school cheer team. Their cheer phrases and choreography get wackier every second as they try to prove themselves.

The skit became an instant classic, and Ferrell and Oteri reprised their roles several times — including during his 2012 hosting gig.

"Mark Jensen's Family Christmas"

In addition to his dozens of regularSNLseason appearances, Ferrell has also become known for his roles in the holiday specials.

During the season 26 Christmas special in December 2000, Ferrell went all out as fictional singer Mark Jensen in "Mark Jensen's Family Christmas." In the skit, Jensen is putting on a live Christmas special in front of a joyful choir behind him.

However, Jensen isn't just singing on a stage — he's actually rotating on a circular platform for several minutes. While belting out "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," Jensen starts to feel ill from the motion and subsequently gets sick all over the stage, while refusing to end the show.

"The Love-ahs with Barbara and Dave"

Two Love-ahs like no-othah!

Ferrell andRachel Dratchtransformed into Roger and Virginia Klarvin — an expressive college professor couple who can't keep their hands off each other.

They debuted their characters in aseason 26 episodewithKatie Holmesin 2001 and later reprised their roles in "Love-ahs" skits over the next several years alongside Fallon and other guest hosts Walken,Drew BarrymoreandWinona Ryder.

While the sketch — which was created by Dratch after taking inspiration from one of her former professors — became a staple for both Ferrell and Dratch, it also helped launch Fallon's career, since he famouslycouldn't stop laughing during nearly all of his appearances.

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Robert Goulet

Ferrell introduced his exaggerated impersonation of famed entertainer Robert Goulet for season 26 in 2000. For his memorable impression, Ferrell often acted inebriated or over-the-top while performing and interrupting himself to tell random stories.

He portrayed Goulet, who approved of the sketch ahead of his 2007 death, in several episodes — including the 2001 "The Robert Goulet Christmas Special" sketch.

In 2025,Ferrell reprised the role once againfor theSNL 50th Anniversary SpecialalongsideKristen Wiigand other stars for a joint "The Lawrence Welk Show" skit.

"Celebrity Jeopardy!"

Another person whom Ferrell had fun impersonating wasJeopardyhostAlex TrebekinCelebrity Jeopardyskits. The skit was fairly self-explanatory, as Ferrell portrayed Trebek while asking simple questions to struggling celebrities.

The sketch frequently ran throughout Ferrell's time as a cast member from 1995 to 2002 and often featured that week's celebrity host as one of the contestants. In addition to the rotating contestants,Darrell Hammondalmost always appeared as Trebek's enemy, a fictional version of the lateSean Connery.

Ferrell helmed the podium when he returned to host in 2005, 2009 and theshow's 40th anniversary specialin February 2015. Trebek, whodied in 2020, even made a cameo alongside Ferrell in 2002.

James Lipton

Ferrell also became known for his parody ofJames Liptonhosting his famed showInside the Actors Studio. In his Lipton impression, Ferrell stared down his celebrity guests while asking them intense and pretentious questions.

The sketch became an instant hit, and Ferrell hosted the fictionalInside the Actors Studioas Lipton several times while he was a cast member. Among other notable moments, Ferrell famously coined the catchphrase "scrumtrulescent," which he used to describe something too marvelous to comprehend.

Lipton, whodied in 2020, befriended Ferrell as a result of the sketch and told CNN in 2012 that he "love[d]" the impersonation and found it "flattering," perThe Hollywood Reporter.

“Strategery”

Of all of Ferrell's characters and impersonations, heportrayed former President Bushthe most.

Ferrell made his debut as Bush in season 25 and went on to appear in dozens of sketches as the president until his departure. Ferrell returned as Bush as recently as season 43 in 2018.

His legendary impression even landed him a 2009 show on Broadway,You're Welcome America: A Final Night with George W. Bush.

While Ferrell had no shortage of laugh out loud moments as the former president, one of the more memorable skits had an effect on Bush for years. During a2000 debate sketch, Ferrell famously made up the word "strategery."

Bush's daughter,Jenna Bush Hager, later revealed that herdad was convinced for years that he was the personwho made the blunder.

"Someone else wrote that,” Ferrell said during a 2022 appearance on theTodayshow, while Bush Hager confirmed that her dad had no idea it wasn't real until recently. “Lorne Michaels told my dad, ‘You never said that,’ and he said, ‘What? I spent all those years [thinking I’d said it].' "

Ferrell quipped, "Oh, I knew all along. I’m sorry, Mr. President.”

"Dissing Your Dog"

While Ferrell had several recurring characters over the years, he also had a handful of one-hit-wonder skits.

In December 2001, Ferrell appeared in a pre-taped segment as "unhinged dog trainer," Dale Sturtevant, for "Dissing Your Dog."

While promoting his services in a commercial, Sturtevant shows off his unique skill set — which includes verbally mocking the sweet pups with sarcastic insults and humiliating remarks.

"Short Shorts for the USA"

Have shorts ever been the same since Ferrell's 2001 sketch, "Short Shorts for the USA"?

In the season 27 episode, Ferrell shows up late to an office meeting as dedicated employee Dale. However, Dale is wearing a questionable outfit — a U.S.A. crop top and patriotic flag briefs.

Dale joins the meeting as if it's a normal day, but his colleagues are grossed out by the NSFW outfit. When asked why "those shorts [are] so short," Dale famously asks the question, "Why are long pants long? Why are bushes bushy?"

By the end of the sketch, his rousing patriotic speech convinces the rest of his colleagues that he's in the right — up until his shorts rip.

Read the original article onPeople

byCosmopolite

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May 17, 2026

See Will Ferrell’s 11 Funniest “Saturday Night Live” Moments

Will Ferrell made a name for himself when he was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2002 NEED TO KNOW ...

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Drone strike sparks a fire on the perimeter of UAE's nuclear power plant, shaking Iran war ceasefire

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A drone strike targeted the United Arab Emirates' Barakah nuclear power plant Sunday, setting an electrical generator ablaze on its perimeter and again straining the shaky ceasefire in the Iran war.

Iran US

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which caused no radiological release nor injuries, authorities in the UAE's capital, Abu Dhabi, said. However, suspicion immediately fell on Iran, which has been increasingly threatening the UAE over recent days as the country hosted Israeli Iron Dome missile defenses and troops during the war.

The attack comes as Iran still has a chokehold on theStrait of Hormuz, a vital waterway where a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas passed through before the war, disrupting global energy supplies. Meanwhile, America continues to block Iranian ports in response as negotiations to solidify the ceasefire have failed to advance.

U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested hostilities could resume, and Iranian state television has repeatedly aired segments with anchors holding Kalashnikov-style rifles in an effort to prepare the public for war. Meanwhile, fire exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been rising in recent days as well, threatening a separate ceasefire there.

Barakah plant provides a fifth of UAE's energy

The $20 billion Barakah nuclear power plant was built by the UAE with the help of South Korea and went online in 2020. It’s the first and only nuclear power plant on the Arabian Peninsula and can provide a quarter of all the energy needs in the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms. It's also the first commercial nuclear power plant in the Arab world.

The UAE’s nuclear regulator said the fire didn’t impact the plant safety. “All units are operating as normal,” the organization wrote on X.

The UAE statement didn’t blame any party for the attack. The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Sunday’s strike marked the first time the four-reactor Barakah plant has been targeted in the Iran war. The plant sits in the far western deserts of Abu Dhabi, near the border with Saudi Arabia. The UAE signed a strict deal with the U.S. over the power plant, known as a “123 agreement,” in which it agreed to give up domestic uranium enrichment and reprocessing of spent fuel to halt any proliferation fears. Its uranium comes from abroad.

Nuclear power plants increasingly targeted in war

Nuclear power plants increasingly have found themselves targeted in wars in recent years, first during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. During the Iran war, Tehran repeatedly claimed its Bushehr nuclear power plant came under attack, though there was no direct damage to its Russian-run reactor nor any radiological release.

There have been several instances of attacks around the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf countries over the past several weeks. Talks between Iran and the U.S. are at a standstill as theshaky ceasefirethreatens to collapse and tip the Middle Eastback into open warfare, prolonging the worldwide energy crisis sparked by the conflict.

On Iranian state TV, presenters on at least two channels appeared armed during live programs.

In one program, Hossein Hosseini received basic firearms training from a member of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, whose face was covered with a mask. After being shown how to prepare the weapon, Hosseini mimed firing a shot at the flag of the UAE.

On another channel, female presenter Mobina Nasiri said a weapon had been sent to her from a gathering in Tehran’s Vanak Square so she could appear armed on camera. She said: “From this platform, I declare that I am ready to sacrifice my life for this country.”

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

byCosmopolite

in

May 17, 2026

Drone strike sparks a fire on the perimeter of UAE's nuclear power plant, shaking Iran war ceasefire

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A drone strike targeted the United Arab Emirates' Barakah nuclear power plant Sunday, setting an...

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