The comedic actress returned to her alma mater, Dartmouth College, to address the graduating class of 2026.

SNL alum Rachel Dratch channels Debbie Downer to blast AI in commencement speech: ‘Congrats to all on your mandatory gap years’

The comedic actress returned to her alma mater, Dartmouth College, to address the graduating class of 2026.

By Kathleen Perricone

June 17, 2026 9:42 p.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Rachel Dratch channels Debbie Downer during Dartmouth commencement speech. Credit:

Dartmouth/YouTube

- Rachel Dratch reprised her iconic *Saturday Night Live* character, Debbie Dower, during her commencement speech at Dartmouth.

- "It's quite an achievement from Dartmouth," she told the grads. "Of course, thanks to AI, there won't be any jobs left."

- Dratch graduated from Dartmouth College in 1988.

Rachel Dratch brought along Debbie Downer (and her sad trombone) to impart some pessimistic words of wisdom on the graduating class of Dartmouth College.

The *Saturday Night Live* alum returned to her alma mater over the weekend to give the commencement speech. After reflecting on her time at the Ivy League university in the late 1980s, Dratch acknowledged that the 2,214 students receiving degrees in 2026 were "graduating in a different time."

Dratch had promised to keep her speech "light and breezy," so instead she channeled "a friend who will address these dark times for me": everyone's favorite mood killer, Debbie Downer.

Standing on "The Green," Debbie put aside her usual concerns about the spread of feline AIDS for a more pressing issue at Dartmouth. "Careful on the lawn, ladies," warned Dratch in her character's trademark deadpan. "If you're wearing any sort of a heel, wet grass can be a tripping hazard."

Right on cue, Dartmouth grad Noah Prescott played the "wah-wah" on his trombone as the camera zoomed in on Debbie's pained expression.

Rachel Dratch reveals shocking comment that inspired Debbie Downer on 'SNL'

Rachel Dratch scolded 'SNL' castmates for breaking during Debbie Downer sketch, then flubbed her own line

On the bright side, "It's quite an achievement from Dartmouth," she continued. "Of course, thanks to AI, there won't be any jobs left. So congrats to all on your mandatory gap years."

After another sad trombone interlude, Debbie sally forthed. "It's inspiring to see all your fresh minds ready to take on the world," she told the grads. "Sadly, due to the construction of data centers and the impending water wars, the most useful college majors now are foraging and hand to hand combat."

Debbie Downer ruins a family trip to Disney World on 'SNL'.

The "Negative Nancy" ended by pointing out a positive aspect of AI. "[It] may take all our jobs and clean drinking water, but at least we can all see what we look like as Leather Daddy Santa," she remarked.

On that note, Dratch got out of character for a serious sentiment. "That's enough out of you, Debbie Downer," she said.

Addressing the grads, she continued, "I sincerely hope that one or more of you becomes a benevolent world leader who will cure all the world's ills… I try to fight off life's downers by doing what I can with how I show up in the world. For me, that's to try to make people laugh or give them an escape from their day in a play or a movie."

Rachel Dratch debuted 'Debbie Down' on 'SNL' in 2004.

Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

Dratch isn't the first commencement speaker to take a jab at AI after several others previously drew jeers for pushing the technology, especially Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Scott Borchetta, the music exec who discovered Taylor Swift.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

In May, Harvard graduate Conan O'Brien addressed the 2026 class with some encouragement as they launch their professional careers. "Despite your fears, trust me when I say AI cannot replace you," the former late-night host told them. "It'll be too busy replacing those creeps from Princeton."

- Celebrities & Creators

- Entertainment Industry Roles

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Comedians”