SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- Episode 1870 -- Pictured: (l-r) Bowen Yang, Ego Nwodim, Kenan Thompson, James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump, and Marcello Hernández during the "SNL For Trump" Cold Open on Saturday, November 9, 2024 -- (Photo by: Will Heath/NB …
null - "Saturday Night Live" cast members jokingly promised only flattering portrayals of President-elect Donald Trump after he won the presidential election Tuesday night.
In their first episode since Trump won a second term in the White House, the liberal-leaning cast started the show with the most somber of tones as the group, primarily women and minorities, described their new reality.
"To many people, including many people watching right now, the results were shocking and even horrifying," Ego Nwodim soberly said.
"Donald Trump, who forcibly tried to overturn the results of the last election, was returned to office," Heidi Gardner said.
"And now," Bowen Yang added, "thanks to the Supreme Court, there are no guardrails."
Then came the swerve from the liberal-leaning show.
"That is why we at ‘SNL’ would like to say to Donald Trump, we have been with you all along," Keenan Thompson said.
"We have never wavered in our support for you, even when others doubted you," Yang chimed in.
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"Every single person on this stage believed in you," Sarah Sherman said.
Marcello Hernández added, "Every single person on this stage voted for you."
The cast members went on to effusively declare their reverence for, and obedience to, the former and future president, introducing a new character, "Hot, Jacked Trump."
Cast member James Austin Johnson, who plays a dead-on Trump and was virtually guaranteed a long-term job by the election, came out as an Adonis-bodied president-elect.
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"From now on we’re going to do a very flattering portrayal of Trump, because frankly he’s my hero," Johnson said in his Trump voice but speaking as himself. "He’s going to make an incredible president and eventually king."
The episode, hosted by standup comic and actor Bill Burr, was the first all season that did not begin with former cast member Maya Rudolph, who played Vice President Kamala Harris in a giddy five-week run culminating with an appearance last week of Harris herself that began the show's 50th season and brought a ratings spike.
Rudolph made no appearance as Harris on this Saturday night, but former cast member Dana Carvey, who has played President Joe Biden all season, showed up as a leaping Elon Musk after the cast said they loved him, too.
"Alright, let’s get to what you all want to talk about. Alright ladies, you’re 0-and-2 against this guy," Burr said. "But you learn more from your losses than your wins. So let’s get into the game tape. Ladies, enough with the pantsuit. Okay, it’s not working. Stop trying to have respect for yourself."