SNL’s cold open last night featured Alec Baldwin’s “Donald Trump” checking in with Vice President Mike Pence (Beck Bennett) as he took shots at Senator Bob Corker and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
“We’re getting rid of everything Obama did. Healthcare, the Iran deal. We’re ripping out all of the vegetables in Michelle Obama’s garden and planting McNuggets.”
Trump: “Sen. Bob Corker is so small. Crowd: “How small is he?” Trump: “Bob Corker is so small a dermatologist found him on a mole.”
On Tillerson calling Trump a moron: “I took an IQ test and let me assure you it came back positive. It’s through the roof, and many of the clouds as well.”
Bennett’s “Pence” also accidentally attends a same-sex wedding. You can guess the results…
Bringing together separate but important events into one crystallized moment has become a hallmark of Saturday Night Live.
When the right balance of respect, reflection, and inspiration come together at the perfect time.
You’ll recall the first show after the presidential election last year when Kate McKinnon, as “Hillary Clinton,” handled the cold open duties with a sobering “Hallelujah” originally penned by Leonard Cohen who had passed away that week. The lyrics, the mood, the moment reflected much of the country’s emotional state.
This happened again last night as Jason Aldean, the country star who was onstage the moment gunshots ripped through the night sky in Las Vegas last Sunday, took the opening spot to address the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the United States.
“This week, we witnessed one of the worst tragedies in American history. Like everyone, I’m struggling to understand what happened that night and how to pick up the pieces and start to heal. So many people are hurting. There are children, parents, brothers, sisters, friends. They’re all part of our family. So I want to say to them, we hurt for you and we hurt with you. But you can be sure that we’re going to walk through these tough times together, every step of the way. Because when America is at its best, our bond and our spirit — it’s unbreakable.”
Aldean then ripped into a cover of “I Won’t Back Down,” the defiant rock anthem by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tom Petty, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 66 after suffering a heart attack.
On Saturday Night Live‘s season premeire last night, the iconic show’s cold open featured – who else? – “The Chaos President.”
Clip description:
President Donald Trump (Alec Baldwin) speaks with Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Aidy Bryant), Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz (Melissa Villaseñor) of San Juan, Jeff Sessions (Kate McKinnon) and Senator Chuck Schumer (Alex Moffat).
Riffing on this week’s news story, “Trump” takes a call from the “Mayor of San Juan” where he tells her: “You should have paid your bills. FEMA takes a few days unless you join FEMA Prime.”
“Ma’am, I don’t know if you know this, but you’re in an island in the water the ocean water big ocean, with fishies and bubbles and turtles that bite. We want to help you, but we have to take care of America first.”
Bonus clip: The “Weekend Update” segment also touched on the Puerto Rico debacle as anchor Michael Che reports on Trump’s angst from being criticized on the glacial pace of hurricane relief.
Alec Baldwin reprised his “Donald Trump” parody for the “Weekend Update” special from Saturday Night Live last night sharing his version of this week’s Trump rally in Phoenix.
Just a bit of what Baldwin’s “Trumpster” had to offer:
On holding a campaign rally 3 years early: “Folks, it’s never too early to campaign for 2020. Mike Pence is already doing it.”
On the media’s reporting of Charlottesville debacle: “As we all know, there was a tragic victim that came out of Charlottesville: me. Folks, the media has treated me so unfairly by reporting my entire remarks — even the bad ones.”
Steve Bannon’s “Death” made an appearance as “Trump” thanked him for his service:
T: “One person who’s done so much for us is Steve Bannon, and I wanted to give him a proper goodbye.”
B: “You’ve only made me more powerful. I’m going to crush you.”
Seated at a piano, a lone Alec Baldwin as “Donald Trump” begins singing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
He’s quickly joined by the SNL cast members who have brought the Trump administration to life over the past several months: Kellyanne Conway (Kate McKinnon), Mike Pence (Beck Bennett), Eric Trump (Alex Moffat), Donald Trump Jr. (Mikey Day), Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Aidy Bryant), Melania Trump (Cecily Strong) and Ivanka Trump (Scarlett Johansson).
Watch Baldwin’s “Trump” on the line, “I didn’t come to fool ya.”
The effect is quite different from last November when Kate McKinnon used the same song to staggering effect as “Hillary Clinton” after the election.
Melissa McCarthy as “Sean Spicer” and Alec Baldwin as “Donald Trump”
With Melissa McCarthy returning to Saturday Night Live for her 5th appearance as host, fans immediately hoped for a reprisal of her wild and wacky version of White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer.
Not only did SNL deliver more “Spicey” Spicer, but we got a double-team with Alec Baldwin’s “President Trump.”
In the skit, an embattled “Spicer” returns to the press podium at the White House to explain that Trump had nothing to do with Russian interference during the 2016 election.
“Let me just put this whole Russian thing to bed once and for all: Trump is innocent. How do we know? Because he told us so. Period. Then he hired lawyers to agree with him. And they’re gonna prove it with a certified letter which you know is the truth because it costs an extra $2 to have it certified.”
But “Spicey” is quickly informed by White House press correspondents that Trump is prepping to replace him with press side-kick Sarah Huckabee.
Immediately hitting the road (via his podium), the press secretary sets out to find his boss and directly ask about the possible firing.
But Baldwin’s Trump demures, “Sean, come on, I would never do that. She doesn’t have your special spice—salt and pepper, a little bit of sugar.” Then, switching gears, Trump pleads, “Sean, kiss me.”
“No, I’m married,” Spicer argues. “I can’t, I have a wife, I took vows!”
“I’m famous, it’s okay,” Trump says.
I’m amazed the Trumpster hasn’t issued one of his Twitter rants yet.
I can’t wait for Saturday Night Live tomorrow night! Squee!!!
Melissa McCarthy was seen shooting a segment for SNL today in character as “Sean Spicer” via a motorized podium heading down 58th Street in New York City.
Remember the show will be broadcast live across all time zones, so check your airtime.
The things you see in New York City. Melissa McCarthy riding Sean Spicer’s podium through Midtown #SNLpic.twitter.com/BEorGZ15yS
SNL teases Melissa McCarthy’s hosting gig this weekend (her fifth appearance as host) with this lovely video of McCarthy lip-syncing to “I Feel Pretty” as she gets all “duded” up as her Sean Spicer alter-ego.
This weekend’s show will be broadcast live across all time zones. So you west-coasters – tune in early!
Chris Pine (L) and Bobby Moynihan (R) lip-sync for their lives
Funny skit last night as SNL guest host Chris Pine, along with Kenan Thompson, Beck Bennett, Alex Moffat, Bobby Moynihan, all reluctantly admit they love RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Pine seems to know an awful lot about Drag Race contestant Trinity Taylor and her “tuck:’
“I’m guessing it’s when you tape your hot dog down between your buns so that you have that flat crotch illusion.”
And then there’s the fully committed “lip sync for your life” by Pine and Moynihan at the end that’s not to be missed.
