“Well, well, well, look who fell out of that coconut tree,” said Maya Rudolph tonight kicking off the cold open of the Season 50 premiere of Saturday Night Live. “I see you trying to leave, but the doors are locked,” added James Austin Johnson later, back as Donald Trump for another year.
With fellow alum Andy Samberg coming on as current Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff joining Rudolph’s Emmy winning Kamala Harris, and Jim Gaffigan as VP nominee Gov. Tim Walz, it was all POTUS politics all SNL cold open tonight. Plus a few TLC moves from the current late night Veep, and SNL’s current MVP Bowen Yang as a Radiohead quoting GOP VOP nominee Sen. J.D. Vance were in the mix too.
Then, in a true blast from the past, Dana Carvey came on as President Joe Biden. “A lot of people forget I’m President, including me,” Carvey’s Biden quipped, and the cold open deal was sealed.
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Or as Rudolph/Harris’ self-described “fun aunt” said: “My campaign is like that Sabrina Carpenter song ‘Expresso,’ the lyrics are vague, but the vibe slaps.”
Just a tad under the first season premiere of October 11, 1975, tonight’s half century SNL debut has seen the political world change since the May 18 Season 49finale as it has since Gerald Ford was in the White House. One presidential debate, one ex-president assassination attempt, one president dropping out of the race, one vice president leaping into the breach, two party conventions, two very different VP nominees, another POTUS debate with the Veep TKOing Trump, another ex-POTUS assassination attempt, an abandoned second debate, and an election that is just to close to call with a little more than 36 days to go.
Oh, and in all that, Mayor Eric Adams of New York was indicted on corruption charges this week.
How is this not perfect fertile ground for the Lorne Michaels-led late nightery? Well, even with Rudolph back to do Harris, and three new cast members you never know how easily SNL will snatch defeat from certain victory.
Tonight was an all-hands on deck winner.
Having exited as a SNL cast member back in 2007, Rudolph was last on the show last season when she hosted on May 11, That Season 49 penultimate show stint the third time the Loot star has hosted the show she once was such a big part of. Tonight had a bit of several firsts with 1990s cast member Carvey having now played two POTUS, adding Biden to his iconic George H.W. Bush from over 25 years ago.
Additionally, tonight sees Hacks star (and recent Emmy winner, again ) Jean Smart making her long long overdue SNL hosting debut. Also new-ish on the Studio 8H scene, Jelly Roll (who performed on the 76th Primetime Emmys earlier this month) is back for the second time as musical guest.
Next week will see Nate Bargatze and Coldplay fronting SNL and taking the stage with songs respectively.