The Saturday Night Live post-election episode following Donald Trump’s victory featured a comedic cold open where the cast humorously tried to align themselves with the newly elected president.
The sketch began with a serious tone, acknowledging the shock and horror many felt over the results, but quickly shifted to the cast jokingly claiming their unwavering support for Trump, with Kenan Thompson, Bowen Yang, and others all insisting they voted for him.
James Austin Johnson, who plays Trump on the show, debuted a new, more favorable “hot jacked Trump” persona, emphasizing his admiration for the president.
The cold open also saw Dana Carvey debuting an impression of Elon Musk, with Musk humorously declaring, “I run the country now.”
Bill Burr, hosting the episode, made a controversial monologue, which included a mix of non-political jokes and biting commentary on the election.
Burr criticized women in politics and made crude remarks about feminists and undecided voters, which sparked mixed reactions on social media, with some fans calling it his worst performance while others found it funny.
Burr also faced backlash for a joke about the flu and “an Asian,” which many found offensive.
On “Weekend Update,” Colin Jost joked about Democrats’ inability to rig an election, comparing Trump to an invincible character in a video game.
Michael Che, sipping from a cocktail, made fun of the Democrats’ optimism, particularly their belief that Kamala Harris could win in rural Pennsylvania.
The episode ended with SNL teasing Charli XCX’s upcoming appearance as host and musical guest.
