In 2009, Taylor both hosted and performed as the musical guest for an episode of "Saturday Night Live".

Entertainment Weekly described her as "this season's best 'Saturday Night Live' host so far", noting that she "was always up for the challenge, seemed to be having fun, and helped the rest of the cast nail the punchlines". Proving "admirably resilient in a wide variety of sketch roles", "Swift inspired more of a female, girly-in-the-best-sense sensibility in SNL than it's shown since the Tina Fey-Amy Poehler days".