‘SNL’ alum John Milhiser says Lady Gaga fought for his sketch to air

John Milhiser recently recalled how Lady Gaga offered him creative support on Saturday Night Live.

In honor of the show’s 50th season and Gaga’s new Joker album, Harlequin, the SNL alum shared a fond memory of collaborating with the pop star when he was a cast member in 2013.

“‘4th Grade Talent Show’ was a sketch I used to do solo,” Milhiser explained on Instagram alongside several accompanying photos and videos. “I did this character in my audition for the show. When I heard Lady Gaga was coming to host in November I saved pitching it for her episode.”

In the sketch, Milhiser and Gaga portray overly enthusiastic parents at a fourth-grade talent show who mimic their daughter’s increasingly outlandish (and inappropriate) dance choreography from the front row of the audience.

Milhiser said he “loved Gaga” and pitched her the sketch, which he wrote with Ken Tola and James Anderson, in his dressing room. “She got a literal kick out of it,” he said. “Gaga brought me into her office before table read to rehearse the choreography. We performed it at table read and it got selected. It was my first sketch to make it in [the show].”

But the show’s creator and producer, Lorne Michaels, had a note about it regarding Milhiser’s costuming. “I planned on wearing a mustache and wig so that I would read as a dad,” he recalled. “On Friday, Lorne brought me into his office to discuss the sketch. He liked it and wanted me to succeed, but he wasn’t sure about a wig and mustache. He told me, ‘We want America to see you and get to know you.’ I thought that was a nice sentiment. But we kept the wig and mustache for dress rehearsal. The sketch went well at dress. Woo!”

Then a minor disaster struck. “At Lorne’s pre-show meeting I sat next to Gaga and looked to see if our sketch made it in,” Milhiser said. “I didn’t see it up on the board. I was crushed. Gaga nudged my back with her foot and said, ‘Wait, I fought for it.’ Lorne started the meeting with his notes for the show. A few minutes in someone walked up and put our sketch up in the lineup. It was going to air! ‘Told you,’ she smiled.”

Milhiser and Gaga ended up performing the sketch on the show, though Michaels ultimately had his way with Milhiser’s look. “Lorne 86’d the stache and wig,” the former cast member recalled. “We were about to go live. She squeezed my hand. I leaned over to her and said, ‘By the way, I’m a little Monster.’ She smiled and said, ‘I had no idea.’ Then it was time. Then it happened. It was a dream come true. Once the sketch ended we embraced and she was pulled away to get changed. It was the coolest moment.”

Milhiser concluded his anecdote with kind remarks about the show. “Congrats, SNL!” he wrote. “I love SNL and still religiously watch it. Much love to Lorne Michaels for putting me on his show and for making many of us fall in love w/ sketch comedy :). He also wrote me a heartfelt birthday letter once.” Milhiser included a photo of the letter.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly’s free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Milhiser was the second openly gay SNL cast member after Terry Sweeney. Though he was on the show only for season 39 in 2013 and 2014, he performed a number of memorable impressions, including of Jon Cryer, Billie Joe Armstrong, and Matthew McConaughey. Since departing SNL, Milhiser has appeared on series like Drama Club, 9-1-1, Adam Ruins Everything, and Betch.

Saturday Night Live‘s 50th season premieres Sept. 28 with host Jean Smart and musical guest Jelly Roll. Lady Gaga’s new film, Joker: Folie à Deux, hits theaters Friday, Oct. 4.