“It’s the ho, ho, ho-iest special of them all!”
Sabrina Carpenter’s show “Nonsense Christmas” dropped on Netflix on Friday. The 49-minute show, which spotlighted her 2023 EP ‘Fruitcake’, was packed with celebrity appearances, sketch comedy and a mix of her festive tunes and Christmas classics with Carpenter’s characteristic remixed lyrics.
While some of Carpenter’s holiday songs are as NSFW as her beloved “Nonsense” outros and “Short n’ Sweet” lyrics, her Netflix special — directed by Sam Wrench (who directed the Laufey concert film, also out Friday) – the challenge to remain TV-14. As Carpenter sang, “You can watch with your aunts, I might mention panties, but don’t worry, it’s TV-14,” before saying, “Which means I get to say ‘fuck’ three times.” Fuck! There is only one left.”
“There are comedy specials, and there are musical specials, and there are holiday specials. But who does musical comedy holiday specials? A lot of people,” Carpenter joked midway through her rendition of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” ‘But do those specials also have famous guests? Yes, they do! Everyone with a musical comedy holiday special does them with celebrity guests, and this is one of them.
While she may not be the first to do a musical comedy special starring other A-listers, the pop star added her own flair to every aspect of the show, which, as she joked about Netflix’s hopes, will likely go viral will go.
Below, Variety recaps the key moments from the highly anticipated special:
Netflix
A Chappell Roan-Carpenter duet: The two stars and friends of Island Records have had a breakthrough year in music. They gifted their often mutual fans with their rendition of “Last Christmas,” wearing fluffy white winter coats and singing the lyrics karaoke-style into a TV. (The special ended with a blooper clip, in which Roan joked, “I look so… straight” in her festive outfit.)
Ghosters belong on Carpenter’s naughty list: Carpenter led a few festive sketches, including one in which she introduced her friends (Megan Stalter and Owen Thiele) to her new boyfriend (Sean Astin), who may or may not be Santa Claus. In another, with an Autotune-heavy song, Carpenter couldn’t figure out what to get her sister’s (Jillian Bell) clumsy husband (Kyle Mooney) for the holidays. A standout sketch was one in which “Ebby Scrooge” (Nico Hiraga) was haunted by the ghosts of a woman he “ghosted” in the past (Sabrina Carpenter), someone he currently ghosts (Quinta Brunson), and a woman he will ghost in the movie. future (Cara Delevingne). The skit ended with a PSA: “To the ghosters on the naughty list, learn from this!”
Carpenter knows how her fans watch: She sees you when you sleep. She knows when you’re awake. She knows if you scroll through the entire Christmas special on Instagram. “You could have been anywhere tonight – spending time with family, helping those less fortunate… But instead you’re here. Half-watching a large screen while scrolling through social media on a smaller screen. And for that… I am forever grateful,” Carpenter said at the start of her show after singing “Buy Me Presents” to open.
Netflix
Duets, duets and more duets: The Chappell-Carpenter song was just one of many duets sprinkled throughout the show. Tyla joined Carpenter for a rendition of “This Christmas,” Shania Twain sang “Santa Baby” with the “Espresso” singer, and Kali Uchis and Carpenter sang “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” together.
‘A Nonsense Christmas’ needs a ‘Nonsense’ outro: While Carpenter has retired her viral “Nonsense” outros at her concerts — where she would add a raunchy rhyme to the end of her hit with a pun related to the city she was in — she provided a rhyme for her celebratory spectacle. Her risqué Christmas remix “A Nonsense Christmas” closed the show and she sang at the end, “Well, here we are, my special at the end.” I love you all and thank you for being here. I can’t believe I kept it family friendly,” a second before she got a “massage” — and right before she said her third and final “fuck.”
“A Nonsense Christmas With Sabrina Carpenter” is now streaming on Netflix.