‘Saturday Night Live’ mocks President Trump in cold open for his reaction after a man fainted in the Oval Office.
‘Saturday Night Live’ celebrates 50 years of comedy
Live from New York, it’s the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live.”
“Saturday Night Live” spoofed the 2025 elections, the government shutdown and more in a rapid-fire cold open.
The sketch show kicked off its Nov. 8 episode with an Oval Office sketch parodying a recent White House event announcing price cuts for weight loss drugs, which was paused after a drug company representative fainted.
In the sketch, James Austin Johnson’s President Donald Trump said he had a “very normal” reaction to the man collapsing: “Just stand there and stare like a sociopath.”
“Each week, I like to create a big visual that sort of sums up how things are going,” he said. “Last week, it was the demolishing of the East Wing. This week, it’s a medical professional almost dying in my Oval Office at the mere thought of charging less for drugs. Maybe next week, a bald eagle will fall dead out of the sky and splat right on the White House lawn. And by lawn, of course, I mean big outdoor concrete floor.”
“A guy collapsing in the Oval Office,” he added. “Who’d have thought it’d be not me?”
Johnson’s Trump then addressed a number of other topics in a rambling monologue, while others attended to the man behind him. He shared his reaction to Democrats sweeping Tuesday’s elections, saying the media has called the results a “rebuke” of his policies, but “joke’s on them: They’re Stephen Miller’s policies. I don’t read that stuff.”
Johnson’s Trump also discussed rising grocery prices and government-mandated flight cancellations amid the ongoing shutdown, declaring, “I promised grocery prices would plummet, and they did: They plummeted straight up. People are saying, ‘But sir, how will I afford my Thanksgiving turkey for my family?’ Well, good news is your family’s not coming, because all the planes are gone.”
The monologue wrapped up with Trump promising he is going to “drag” out the government shutdown, and “while we’re at it, we’re looking into perhaps stealing Christmas. We’ll be doing Grinch!”
The drug company representative’s Oval Office collapse was also addressed during “Weekend Update” later in the show, with anchor Colin Jost joking, “Whatever they’ve got Trump on, I want some, because just look how chill he is during all of this. He’s just standing there!”
Nikki Glaser made her “SNL” hosting debut on Nov. 8, capping a big year for the comedian, who hosted the Golden Globe Awards in January. She’s set to return as host of the Globes again in 2026 and is also known for her appearances on Comedy Central roasts. In a provocative monologue, Glaser joked that New York City is “Epstein’s original island” and mocked Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., quipping, “I’m no health expert, but neither is he.”
Last week’s “SNL,” hosted by Miles Teller, opened with a spoof of New York City’s mayoral election, with Teller starring as Andrew Cuomo, Ramy Youssef as Zohran Mamdani and Shane Gillis as Curtis Sliwa. “I know this city like the back of a woman’s back,” Teller said, as Cuomo, the former governor of New York, who resigned in 2021 amid a sexual harassment scandal.
As Mamdani, Youssef said in the sketch, he wanted to deliver free health care, Wi-Fi and affordable housing for New Yorkers. “As mayor, can I make that happen? I’m not sure yet,” he said. “But together, we’re going to find out − that the answer is no.”
Mamdani was elected as New York City’s next mayor days later.
“SNL” is five episodes into its 51st season, which kicked off in October after several cast members left during the annual summer hiatus.
Though some viewers had expressed concern the show might go easier on Trump for fear of Federal Communications Commission retaliation after the controversial suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, “SNL” has remained as political ever, continuing to regularly mock the president via Johnson’s impersonation.
Who’s hosting ‘SNL’ next?
“SNL” will return next week with a new episode hosted by “The Running Man” star Glen Powell. This will be the actor’s “SNL” hosting debut, with musical guest Olivia Dean.
Hosts for the last stretch of “SNL” episodes in 2025 haven’t been announced.
Contributing: Zac Anderson, USA TODAY
