‘SNL’ returns with Maya Rudolph’s Kamala Harris and an impressive election lineup
James Austin Johnson return as Donald Trumppredictably screams about Haitians eating dogs and cats and forcing them to participate by Diddy weird. But that’s it SNLmining decision Cung Duong as Trump’s vice presidential candidate, J.D. Vance, it would likely send their campaign into a frenzy. Played by an Asian gay, he probably knows what eyeliner to use Those weirdos upward. And it nicely sets up an open future between Gaffigan’s Dog Lover and Yang’s Cat Hater in next week’s VP debate.
Yang, the night’s MVP alongside Rudolph, will play another baby hippo for the evening. In Weekend Update, Yang stuffs herself into a sparkly latex suit and flaps her little hooves to lament Moo Deng’s travails. Playing the world’s most famous 10-week-old zoo animal, Yang gave a nearly verbatim version of Chappell Roanmonologue of boredom and disappointment. It is pointed out without causing discomfort. My 16-year-old Chappell Roan fan and I rewatched the scene where Yang’s hippopotamus demanded “Hose!” and bit the jet several times. Come on, young stars. You deserve better than whatever version of shellfish and bananas is being thrown at you in this wild moment of stratospheric attention.
No matter who hosts the premiere, she’s sure to be overshadowed by the onslaught of crazy summer headlines. And the same goes for MCs Jean is smartwho appears elegant and spry throughout the episode if not particularly memorable. Her monologue begins with a few sentences so silly tss à la her Hack character, Deborah Vance — whose jokes feature more stylish lines intended for the enjoyment of expensive martinis — before quickly segueing into a tender performance of Judy’s “I Happen to Like New York.” Garland. Talk about tenderness: how can we not be delighted to see her Hack co-star (and daughter of the original SNL star Laraine Newman) Hannah Einbinder standing beside her lovingly as the musical guest introducing Smart jelly rollfirst performance of?
No, this is the launch that must have had the absurd and inevitable rhythms of the past few months: Sabrina Carpenter “Espresso,” the Turkish shooter at the Olympics, the chimpanzee comes from crazy chimpDiddy’s downfall, New York indictment Mayor Eric Adamsthe disgrace of the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina Mark Robinson, Hoda Kotb step down from Today program, Trump on Mars, Charlie XCX as a cultural thought leader.
For all the pinball games surrounding recent events, SNL decided to end with a sketch of frothy goodness. Smart played one The Real Housewives of Santa Fe as the women take their feud to the Rancho Mexicano cantina. They take turns criticizing the legitimacy of each other’s ego-business endeavors. “So Candles by Brie isn’t a business now?!” “Tell me why Hats by Yvonne isn’t a business?!” “So now for-profit prisons aren’t a business?!” It’s good to laugh.
