Saturday Night Live’s cold open spoofed Joe Biden and his inability to keep a respectful distance from women’s personal space after a number of them emerged this week to accuse the former vice president of inappropriate touching.
Jason Sudeikis, the SNL alum, returned to NBC’s comedy variety show to reprise his impersonation of Biden.
Sudeikis was a regular player on SNL between 2005 and 2013.
The sketch stars Sudeikis, Cecily Strong, Kenan Thompson, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Aidy Bryant.
It begins with Strong and Thompson wondering whether Biden’s behavior can be reined in so that he would have a chance at winning the Democratic nomination for president.
Jason Sudeikis returned to Saturday Night Live to play Joe Biden, who is undergoing ‘sensitivity training’ from his advisers, including Kate McKinnon (seen above on the left with Sudeikis as Biden)
Sudeikis was a regular player on SNL between 2005 and 2013
The sketch begins with Biden’s advisers, played by Cecily Strong (left) and Kenan Thompson (right), trying to figure out how to rein in the former vice president
‘You know, Joe’s a good guy, and he means well,’ Strong says.
‘He’s just – he’s a little behind the times.’
Thompson replies: ‘Yeah, I’m sure this whole ordeal is just tearing him up inside.’
Sudeikis’ Biden then barges in, full of energy, and exuberant – which appears to mirror Biden’s demeanor in real life.
SNL spoofed Biden’s penchant for getting up close and personal with people. Sudeikis’ Biden is seen above hugging Cecily Strong’s character
Sudeikis’ Biden then moves in to give Thompson’s character a warm embrace
The vice president then moves on to ‘brother man’ Thompson. Biden embraces Thompson and touches his head a few times
In real life, Biden has been criticized this week for not taking seriously enough the issue of unwanted touching
The vice president joked at an event on Friday about ‘being given permission’ to embrace young children – which prompted criticism from those who say he is not taking the issue of inappropriate touching seriously enough.
In the SNL sketch, Biden walks in and hugs ‘Jackie,’ the adviser played by Strong.
Jackie is visibly uncomfortable with Biden’s embrace. The vice president then moves on to ‘brother man’ Thompson.
Biden embraces Thompson and touches his head a few times.
When the aides tell Biden that they need to speak about a serious matter, the former vice president jokes: ‘Oh, I know, it’s about my March Madness bracket, right?
‘Look, I know I had Delaware winning the whole thing even though they didn’t make the tournament.
‘Okay, but hey, it’s better than last year I picked Amtrak. Right?’
Biden’s aides then let him know that he will be working with ‘Gwen,’ who will provide sensitivity training
Gwen, played by McKinnon, then quickly finds out that she has her hands full with Biden, who moves in for a handshake and then presses his forehead against hers
‘Really great to meet you, Gwen,’ Biden says. ‘I appreciate you coming here’
When the other aides try to alert Biden that he is behaving inappropriately, he says: ‘One second, I’m connecting’
Delaware is the state which Biden represented in the United States Senate before he became vice president under Barack Obama.
Amtrak is the rail service which Biden frequently used to commute between Delaware and Washington, D.C.
But the aides let Biden know that his behavior with women was the issue that needed to be discussed.
‘It’s about all the touchy-feely stuff,’ Thompson said.
‘If you’re really going to run in 2020, you have to change the way you interact with women,’ Jackie says.
Biden says in response: ‘You guys know that I’m a tactile politician, right?
‘I’m a hugger; I’m a kisser, and I’m a little bit of a sniffer.
‘The last thing I ever want to do is offend anyone.’
Biden’s aides then let him know that he will be working with ‘Gwen,’ who will provide sensitivity training.
Gwen, played by McKinnon, then quickly finds out that she has her hands full with Biden, who moves in for a handshake and then presses his forehead against hers.
‘Really great to meet you, Gwen,’ Biden says.
‘I appreciate you coming here,’ Biden tells Gwen.
When the other aides try to alert Biden that he is behaving inappropriately, he says: ‘One second, I’m connecting.’