Cookie Monster stared his own Facebook campaign to audition for the SNL host. He never got it, although he shows up in the opening monologue alongside Jeff Bridges.
During an interview on Bobby Moynihan/Rep. Andy Kim (2021), Bobby Moynihan revealed that Jeff Bridges was supposed to appear as Butt Dan in the "Crunkmas Karnival!" sketch, a character Moynihan ended up playing himself in Bruno Mars (2012).