How do you get a week of political scandals and pandemic news in a single comedy sketch? And how do you find out if you qualify for a Covid vaccine and, if so, where to get it? “Saturday Night Live” tried to answer some, if not all of these questions, with an opening segment about a fictional game show called “So you think you can get the vaccine”, presented by Dr. Anthony S. Fauci.
This weekend’s broadcast, which featured Nick Jonas as a presenter and musical guest, began with Kate McKinnon playing Fauci, describing herself as “America’s voice of reason and the celebrity runner going for some reason”.
She said the program “would give ordinary Americans a chance to compete for vaccine eligibility,” adding: “Getting the vaccine shouldn’t be a competition, but Americans only want it if it means that someone else can’t”
She then introduced the panel of three governors who would approve or deny competitor requests, starting with California Governor Gavin Newsom, who she said was “hated by everyone in California except those 10 people she had dinner with in Napa that time. “
Alex Moffat, playing Newsom, gave a quick report on his condition: “Teeth – white. Bodies – tense. Covid – too bad, ”he said.
Then McKinnon introduced Governor Andrew M. Cuomo of New York, saying that he was “currently under attack for tampering with dead seniors and also the kind of sexual harassment claims that make you go, yes, I can see that. “
Pete Davidson, in the role of Cuomo, thanked the audience, saying: “Beautiful bodies, some of you”. He added: “Remember when your favorite movie was my PowerPoints? Remember, ‘Today is Tuesday’? Why can’t we go back to that? “
Finally, McKinnon welcomed Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who she said “narrowly escaped being kidnapped by a group of men whose fingerprints probably contained Cheetos powder”.
Cecily Strong, playing Whitmer, compared herself to the other governors. “People yell at them about their policies and yell at me, ‘Get her!’ But hey, this is life, ”she said, drinking a bottle of beer.
Among the competitors that the governors evaluated were Heidi Gardner as a woman who said she was a front-line worker because, she said, “I do IT for the OnlyFans website, so I’m busy”; Ego Nwodim like a woman dressed in a gray wig, but who still uses the word “stan” suspiciously; and Bowen Yang as a man who unconvincingly claims to be a New Jersey smoker.
All of them were declared ineligible, although Melissa Villaseñor, playing the role of a pregnant woman, was told that she could receive an experimental Kirkland Signature vaccine developed by Costco that came with a free pack of 24 hot dogs.
Aidy Bryant made a comeback appearance as Senator Ted Cruz, making jokes about Cruz’s recent vacation scandal. “It’s great to be back in New York City,” she said. “I’m sorry, my arms are tired. Because I just got back from Cancún, Mexico. “
Finally, Mikey Day, playing an 85-year-old man, was considered the first eligible competitor for an adequate vaccination – as long as he could make his appointment online.
Davidson told him, “But if you feel bad, make sure you leave the nursing home and go to the hospital. Blink.”
Concluding the draft, McKinnon said: “There was a power outage at a nearby CVS. All vaccines will expire, so it’s the first to arrive, the first attempt. “
Tribute of the week in musical theater
Here are some curiosities that we are saving for this moment: Before becoming a nationally known pop star, Nick Jonas was a child artist on Broadway whose curriculum included roles like Gavroche in the original series of “The Miserables”.
For his opening monologue, “SNL” put this story to productive use, inviting Jonas to honor the New York musical theater industry, which has been closed for almost a year. Jonas sang the song “Drink With Me” from “Les Mis”, accompanied by McKinnon, Strong, Kenan Thompson and Beck Bennett, who updated some of the lyrics to the current pandemic moment. Sing along now: “A toast to spend 50 weeks in our beds / a toast to make friends who live your head …”
Personal pastime of the week
Another musical segment featured Chloe Fineman, Nwodim, McKinnon and Villaseñor as women who find themselves alone in their homes and decide to indulge in their favorite form of self-care: zoning in front of the TV while watching murder programs. In honor of this abundant form of documentary, Villaseñor rhymes: “Cut limbs found on a beach in Chula Vista / But I kind of look around while eating a piece of pizza.” Nwodim and Fineman shared a verse: “Dig up some bodies and do an autopsy? / Boring – wake me up when it’s Munchausen by proxy. ”And McKinnon rhymed:” The bodybuilder stung an elderly woman / I watch while texting my sister about her baby. ” Jonas entered this issue as well, playing Fineman’s boyfriend, who returns to inform her that there is something even better than murder programs: cult programs.
Jokes of the week with weekend updates
At the Weekend Update table, anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che commented on the House’s vote to approve a $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package.
Jost started:
Like me when I’m drunk, Congress decided to spend a lot of money at 2:30 am. They approved a $ 1.9 trillion stimulus bill and Republicans are calling it a liberal wish list. But I don’t know, I think a liberal wish list would be: avocado toast with Chrissy Teigen, free pet college and a hip-hop musical about Anderson Cooper starring Lin-Manuel Miranda. Senator Lindsey Graham said he is very pleased that the bill does not include an increase in the minimum wage. Because, over the years, Graham has come to love the saliva taste of fast-food workers.
Che continued:
Senator John Thune said he opposed the $ 15 minimum wage because he used to survive on six dollars an hour as a young man. But that was 40 years ago, when rent was, like, a dollar and everyone had 1 porn tape. See that’s why Democrats never do things. You keep leaving for a vote and taking no for an answer. When Republicans lose a vote, they invade the Capitol. Why can’t you be so angry? Say what you want about a guy in a Viking helmet spitting at Nancy Pelosi’s table, but he won’t be ignored.
Part of the weekend update table of the week
Strong returned to his role as Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who earlier this month was stripped of her committee duties for spreading misinformation and endorsing social media violence, and who was criticized earlier this week for hanging a sign off its Congress office which said: “There are TWO genders: MALE AND WOMAN. Trust science! ”(Her work neighbor, Representative Marie Newman, has a transgender daughter and has placed a transgender pride flag outside her own office.)
In her segment, Strong described herself as “the girl in Congress”, which she explained is a reference to “This, like the evil clown that attacks children”. Strong revealed that she was wearing a T-shirt with the misspelled slogan “TRUST IN SIENCE” because, as she said, “I love science. I’m always talking about science, okay? Unless science is about climate change, coronavirus, space lasers, evolution, metric system, rhythm method, breastfeeding, living on Mars, skin color of Jesus or skin color of Santa Claus, by the way, which is white ”.