Cheri Oteri Reveals the Iconic SNL Character She’d Revive on Happy’s Place (EXCLUSIVE)

“‘You better simmer down that happiness now!'” Oteri teased after slipping into SNL‘s iconic Nadeen.

Season 2 of Happy’s Place has been jam-packed with laughs, and the audience was left in stitches with the arrival of Saturday Night Live icon Cheri Oteri.

How to Watch

Watch Happy’s Place Fridays at 8/7c on NBC and next day on Peacock.

Oteri stole hearts far and wide as an SNL cast member on Seasons 21-25 (1995-2000), later starring in comedy hits like Scary Movie, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Shrek the Third, and many more throughout her multi-decade career. During her time at Studio 8H, Oteri became a standout thanks to her affinity for bringing high-energy characters to life and her many spot-on celebrity impressions.

Not only did Oteri have audiences cackling with iconic characters like Simmer Down Now Nadeen or as the other half of Will Ferrell’s mythic Spartan Cheerleaders, but she also delivered dozens of spot-on impressions of stars like Barbara Walters, Alanis Morissette, Jennifer Lopez, Cyndi Lauper, Mariah Carey, and Debbie Reynolds, to name a few.

Now, Oteri joins the dynamite lineup of guest stars on Happy’s Place, and she tells NBC Insider that she had a blast alongside Reba McEntire and the cast of the NBC sitcom. And there’s a certain SNL someone she could envision crashing the party.

Cheri Oteri reveals which SNL character she’d like to visit Happy’s Place

Inspector Monica (Cheri Oteri) appears in Happy’s Place Season 2 Episode 6.

Photo: Casey Durkin/NBC

NBC Insider was lucky enough to connect with the SNL icon and Happy’s Place guest star amid her hysterical appearance on Season 2, briefly diving into her mythic tenure on SNL. After hanging out with the Happy’s Place crew, Oteri revealed which of her SNL characters she could see strolling into Bobbie’s bar.

“Oh, my gosh, I think Simmer Down Now Nadeen,” Oteri told NBC Insider, adding that Nadeen’s hallmark Southern accent would fit right in alongside the Knoxville tavern.

For those in need of a little SNL rewind: Oteri’s Simmer Down Now Nadeen is from a recurring Season 25 sketch in which Oteri played a service worker who would hit customers or guests with her iconic catchphrase (“Simmer down now!”), despite objectively being the most tightly-wound person in the room.

Happy’s Place Season 2

Ready for another round? Happy’s Place Season 2 has been serving up heart and humor, with new episodes airing Fridays at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.

Starring Reba McEntire, Rex Linn, Belissa Escobedo, Melissa Peterman, Tokala Black Elk, and Pablo Castelblanco, Season 2 of Happy’s Place features even more nostalgic reunions and sitcom hilarity.

The romance between Bobbie and Emmett has been full of “fireworks,” as the two shared their first kiss and even defined their relationship. But, while love is in the air, Emmett is carrying a long-buried secret on Happy’s Place Season 2.

Oteri debuted the character in 1999 alongside Host Garth Brooks, playing Nadeen as a department store clerk hyperly demanding that peaceful customers with returns calm down. Later that season, Oteri’s Nadeen returned alongside Host Julianna Margulies as an ER admitting nurse, leading to hysterical chaos as the injured patients flooded her waiting room. Oteri’s Nadeen then made her way to a fast-food burger joint, creating a humorous stir alongside Host Toby Maguire.

Throughout these SNL sketches, Nadeen had audiences cackling with each “Simmer down now!” It’s a dynamic that Oteri felt would mesh well alongside the craziness of Happy’s Place.

“Everybody’s so happy at Happy’s Place, she’s going to: ‘You better simmer down that happiness now!'” Oteri told NBC Insider. “Yeah, Nadeen would be the fun police.”

Cheri Oteri talks about the “fun” vibes with the Happy’s Place cast

Isabella (Belissa Escobedo), Steve (Pablo Castelblanco), Gabby (Melissa Peterman), Bobbie (Reba McEntire), Inspector Monica (Cheri Oteri), Emmett (Rex Linn), and Takoda (Tokala Black Elk) appear in Happy’s Place Season 2 Episode 6.

Photo: Casey Durkin/NBC

Oteri told NBC Insider that she had a blast alongside McEntire and the rest of the Happy’s Place family, making an unforgettable debut as Monica, a health inspector and old friend of Emmett’s (Rex Linn), who may still have eyes for Bobbie’s new boyfriend. Monica’s debut was jam-packed with hysterical moments, and Oteri tells NBC Insider that the laughter was echoed off-camera.

“I sound so corny, but I tell people it is literally the happiest place. I mean, it’s that title, I walked into the warmest, most supportive group of people,” Oteri said. “[The Happy’s Place cast are] the nicest people in the world. It was such a pleasure. You just don’t know when you turn up on a set what to expect, and this was just like a gift being there.”

And it’s the gift that keeps on giving — Oteri reveals that Monica’s no-nonsense health inspector will make a return this season. It was easy for Oteri to say yes to exploring the character further after feeling a “big hug” from the Happy’s Place cast and crew.

“It’s like the whole place is having so much fun with everything, you just feel a part of this group, that you just feel lucky,” Oteri said. “Everybody’s having fun there. I’m telling you, walking onto that set is like you’re just walking into a big hug.”

Watch Happy’s Place on Fridays at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.

Reporting by Stephanie Gomulka