NBC’s Saturday Night Live didn’t miss a beat on Saturday, covering all of the widely-varied political bases from the past week, as the show opened up with Alec Baldwin reprising his role as President Donald Trump.
Baldwin’s Trump called in to SNL’s version of Fox and Friends, and discussed everything from his diet to the ratings for this week’s State of the Union (SOTU) address, and the now-infamous so-called ‘Devin Nunes memo’ regarding alleged FBI bias against Republicans gnerally, and Trump, specifically.
NBC’s skit show, hosted this week by Natalie Portman, also included a special appearance in the cold open by Cecily Strong’s version of Hope Hicks, the real-life White House Communications Director, in the cold open.
Strong did double duty later in the show, showing up as Melania Trump, in a skit about her preparation before attending the SOTU amidst the real-rumors that the President had an affair in 2006 with adult actor Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.
But if you were in the Western part of the country, you had to wait to watch, because the feed, which has typically been airing live simultaneously in both the east coast and west coast markets at 11.30 pm Eastern and 8.30 pm Pacific, just didn’t go live on the west coast during that earlier time slot, for some reason.
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NBC’s Saturday Night Live didn’t miss a beat on Saturday, covering all of the widely-varied political bases from the past week, as the show opened up with Alec Baldwin reprising his role as the President
The show kicked off with SNL’s portrayal of the Fox and Friends panel, Steve Doocy, Ainsely Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade, played by SNL cast members Alex Moffat, Heidi Gardner and Beck Bennett, respectively.
First off, the three shared a quick scene parodying Hicks, who in real life used to work for Ivanka Trump’s clothing company.
The three asked the character how it felt to make what many might think is a strange transition to working in the government, and at such a young age. (Hicks is 29, and apparently started working for Ivanka Trump’s clothing company at 26.)
Baldwin’s Trump repeatedly asked the Fox and Friends parody cast to tell him how great he is
The show also included a special appearance in the cold open by Cecily Strong’s version of Hope Hicks (left), the real-life White House Communications Director, in the cold open, with a Fox and Friends parody of Steve Doocy by Alex Moffat (right)
NL’s portrayal of the Fox and Friends panel, Steve Doocy, Ainsely Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade, was played by SNL cast members Alex Moffat, Heidi Gardner and Beck Bennett, respectively
Strong’s Hicks said, ‘There are no real jobs here, you know? Every day feels like when a group of strangers work together to push a beached whale back into the sea’
‘There are no real jobs here, you know? Every day feels like when a group of strangers work together to push a beached whale back into the sea,’ Strong’s Hicks said.
Then a VIP call came in, and the three had an incredibly eager chat that Baldwin’s Trump, who was dressed in pajamas as he spoke highly of himself.
At first, he had what looked like an English Muffin in hand, and pretended to take a quick bite, while tweeting and talking.
The SNL hosts parodied the Fox and Friends panel groveling to the President
At first, Baldwin’s Trump had what looked like an English Muffin in hand, and pretended to take a quick bite, while tweeting and talking
‘Right now I’m getting my daily intelligence briefing,’ Baldwin’s Trump told the trio.
Playing up their scripted surprise, the characters asked, ‘From who?’
‘From you guys,’ Baldwin’s character responded.
Baldwin’s Trump bragged to the parody panel about how his ratings for the SOTU supposedly beat out the Fox News show.
‘[It] was watched by 10 billion people,’ Baldwin’s Trump said, talking about the speech.
‘A lot of people are saying, even Paul Ryan, that it was better than Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream of Jeanie speech.’
Then the topic of conversation quickly turned to a memo released this week, that was initially drafted in real life by Republican staff members of the House Intelligence Committee, that paints a picture of FBI bias in favor of Democrats in the beginning stages of the agency’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential election.
‘This memo might be the best memo since the Declaration of Independence — I haven’t read either of them,’ Baldwin’s Trump said.
‘This memo proves that the FBI is biased and they have history of this, folks,’ Baldwin said, in character as the President.
Then he brought up supposed evidence of that past bias, mentioning disgraced former President Richard Nixon, Italian-American gangster John Gotti, and Chicago’s prolific bank robber, John Dillinger.
SNL’s Weekend Update skit delved in deeper to the so-called ‘Nunes memo,’ with anchors Colin Jost (left) and Michael Che (right)
Again, the show emphasized that the real Trump probably didn’t actually read the memo
SNL’s Weekend Update skit delved in deeper to the so-called ‘Nunes memo,’ which references Republican Congressperson and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, who reportedly made changes to the memo in question after it was drafted by committee staff members but before it was presented to Trump for declassification, and release to the public.
Again, the show emphasized that the real Trump probably didn’t actually read the memo.
The anchors, Michael Che and Colin Jost, included a clip of the real Trump talking about what was in the memo, but struggling to give any specifics.
Then Jost brought it back to how people were seemingly pleased with the real Trump’s performance while giving the State of the Union address on Tuesday, because the bar has been set low
They also touched on Jay-Z’s criticism of the president, to which the real Trump responded to by pointing out and taking credit for low African-American unemployment figures, which Che pointed out are actually a result of former President Barack Obama’s policies
Then the two anchors brought it back to how people were seemingly pleased with the real Trump’s performance while giving the State of the Union address on Tuesday, because the bar has been set low.
‘It’s sort of like when you see a video of a rat taking a shower,’ Jost said, and then you’re impressed at the rat doing human things.
They also touched on Jay-Z’s criticism of the president, to which the real Trump responded to by pointing out and taking credit for low African-American unemployment figures, which Che pointed out are actually a result of former President Barack Obama’s policies.
Portman, who hosted the show, wore an all-black, semi-sparkly pantsuit during her opening monologue, likely purposeful, in support of the Time’s Up movement, which asked all actors to wear black to The Golden Globe Awards on January 7
Portman, who hosted the show, wore an all-black, semi-sparkly pantsuit during her opening monologue.
This was likely purposeful, in support of the Time’s Up movement, which asked all actors to wear black to The Golden Globe Awards on January 7.
The movement supports an organization by the same name that provides support and a legal defense fund for women across all industries who have experienced disparity in treatment, unequal pay and harassment at work.
During her opening monologue, Portman made a quick political reference addressing that issue, but most of her talk centered on the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympic Games, which will be broadcast by NBC.
During her opening monologue, Portman made a quick political reference addressing that issue, but most of her talk centered on the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympic Games, which will be broadcast by NBC
Kenan Thompson and Kate McKinnon even played commentators, giving a sports-commentary-like play-by-play of Portman’t monologue, for extra promotional effect
Kenan Thompson and Kate McKinnon even played commentators, giving a sports-commentary-like play-by-play of Portman’t monologue, for extra promotional effect.
‘The last time I was here I was promoting V for Vendetta,’ Portman said, referring to her last guest spot on SNL in 2006.
‘And now the whole country is kind of promoting V for Vendetta,’ she said, referencing the US’s current movement against sexual misconduct perpetrated by men in positions of power, across industries.
In actual reality, the first lady is dealing with rumors the President cheated on her shortly after their son was born in 2006, with adult actor Daniels.
Strong appeared again in a skit, this time as the first lady, to dive into that.
Strong appeared again in a skit, this time as first lady Melania Trump, to dive into what may have been going through the real first lady’s mind as she prepared to attend the SOTU
To aid Strong’s Melania Trump her in her decision making, SNL cast members showed up as former first ladies Hillary Clinton (played by Kate McKinnon), Michelle Obama (played by Leslie Jones), Martha Washington (played by Aidy Bryant) and, of course, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, played by Portman, as she had the role of Camelot’s leading lady in the 2016 feature film, Jackie.
Trump and Daniels have denied the allegations, but that didn’t stop speculation as to why Melania Trump chose to wear a white pantsuit to the SOTU, and arrived separately from her husband.
Some guessed her clothing choice may have been a reference to Suffragettes white, and other guessed it may have been a slap in the face to the Time’s Up and #MeToo movements, which are largely intertwined, and Trump himself has been embroiled in, as he was accused of sexual misconduct in the weeks leading up to the 2016 presidential election.
The #MeToo movement, which caught on over social media in the Fall, was first started offline by Tarana Burke, more than a decade ago.
The concept is for women to share their experiences of sexual assault and instances in which men abused their power over them in the workplace, in the hope that those who have done wrong will be held accountable for their actions.
It was in response to the many #MeToo stories that followed Weinstein’s outing, that leading women in politics and entertainment created the ‘Time’s Up’ movement.
In SNL’s skit about the issue, Strong’s first lady hemmed and hawed over how she should conduct herself at the SOTU, in light of all of this turmoil.
To aid her in her decision making, SNL cast members played former first ladies Hillary Clinton (played by Kate McKinnon), Michelle Obama (played by Leslie Jones), Martha Washington (played by Aidy Bryant) and, of course, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, played by Portman, as she had the role of Camelot’s leading lady in the 2016 feature film, Jackie.
In the end, the Melania Trump parody decided to go, but with the resolution that some times, she would remained seated and ‘not clap,’ despite the Jackie O character telling her that it was her duty to do so, as a president’s wife.
Strong’s Melania Trump also repeated the ‘party line’ that the first lady’s clothing choice meant nothing.
Dua Lipa was the musical guest.
In the end, the Melania Trump parody decided to go to the SOTU, but with the resolution that some times, she would remained seated and ‘not clap,’ despite the Jackie O character telling her that it was her duty to do so, as a president’s wife