SNL Shifts Hard to the Right in Post-Trump Election Cold Open

Saturday Night Live shocked viewers this weekend with a jarring cold open that seemed to wholeheartedly embrace the MAGA movement in the wake of Donald Trump’s unexpected election victory.

The sketch began solemnly, with Bowen Yang, Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, and Kenan Thompson appearing to strike a somber, reflective tone about the state of the country post-election. But the mood quickly shifted as the cast members revealed that they were actually thrilled about Trump’s win, seemingly casting aside their past criticism of the former president.

“Wow, what an amazing night! I can’t believe our guy pulled it off,” Thompson exclaimed, grinning widely. The other cast members chimed in with similar sentiments, with Nwodim declaring, “We love our president so much. Trump 2024, baby!“

The sketch then cut to newcomer James Austin Johnson’s shirtless, muscular impression of Trump, who strutted onto the stage to the delight of the adoring cast. Dana Carvey also made an appearance, debuting a new impression of Elon Musk as the “court jester” to Trump’s “mighty king.”

The real-life Musk swiftly rebuked the abrupt shift from the show’s typical anti-Trump stance, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to lambast the sketch. “SNL has been dying slowly for years, as they become increasingly out of touch with reality,” Musk wrote. He also accused the show of trying to “cheat the equal airtime requirements and prop up Kamala before the election.”

Musk’s criticism echoed the sentiments of many conservative viewers, who have long accused Saturday Night Live of liberal bias. Some saw the show’s decision to feature a sympathetic portrayal of Trump in the cold open as a cynical attempt to curry favor with right-wing audiences.

However, the sketch’s creators insisted that the shift was purely comedic in nature, with no underlying political agenda. Kenan Thompson even went so far as to suggest that the cast members could “all go to Mars with the other man that we love and trust”—a  clear reference to Musk.

Musk was not the only one receiving backlash for the cold open. Liam Gallagher, the famously outspoken Oasis frontman, also took to X to criticize a recent “Weekend Update” sketch that featured an unflattering impression of him, calling it “excruciating.”

Despite the controversy, SNL producer Lorne Michaels has stood by the decision to feature the right-leaning cold open, arguing that the show has a responsibility to represent a diverse range of political perspectives.

“We’re not here to push any particular agenda,” Michaels said in a statement. “Our job is to provide entertainment and commentary that reflects the complexities of the world we live in.” One thing is certain: Saturday Night Live has once again found itself at the center of a heated cultural debate, demonstrating that even after decades on the air, the show still has the power to shock and provoke.