The second episode of Saturday evening live‘s 50th season brought plenty of laughs with Nate Bargatze as host and Coldplay as musical guest – but it was the cold open that stole the spotlight.
The sketch spoofed the October 2 vice presidential debate, with Maya Rudolph returning as Vice President Kamala Harris and Andy Samberg as Second Gen. Doug Emhoff, watching from home.
Bowen Yang also returned as Ohio Senator J.D. Vance and Jim Gaffigan as Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, with Heidi Gardner and Chloe Fineman taking on the roles of CBS moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan, respectively.
The sketch captured the cordial and sometimes awkward energy of the real debate, with Vance and Walz fending off tough questions — such as Vance’s past comments comparing Donald Trump to Hitler, to which Yang’s Vance asserted, “Context matters.” I meant that as a compliment.”
Gaffigan’s Walz responded with his own blunder, parodying the real Walz’s attempt to explain his discredited claim that he was in Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre: “I think what happened is that I went to Epcot,” he replied. “Anyway, I’m an idiot.”
As the debate continued, Rudolph’s Harris became increasingly irritated, especially when Walz blurted, “I’ve become friends with school shooters,” a line that mirrored the blunder of his real-life debate.
As Samberg’s Emhoff tried to calm her down, she jokingly complained, “I wish I had picked Josh right now,” referring to a cabernet wine instead of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who at one point was shortlisted to get her become an assembly line. mate.
Yang’s Vance dodged questions about Trump’s refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election as he repeatedly told moderators not to fact-check him, falsely claiming, “Trump peacefully surrendered power. ..after he saved Obamacare.”
As in the real debate, Walz and Vance found common ground on certain topics. The camaraderie caused Rudolph’s Harris to humorously spit out her wine after realizing they agreed — and finished each other’s sentences.
“Why are they friends? Why are they vibrating?!” she shouted at the television as red wine poured from her mouth.
The skit ended with Dana Carvey reprising his role as President Biden and perfectly portraying some of the president’s real-life statements, such as, “Oh, and by the way,” “Here’s the deal…” and “I mean it.”
Carvey’s Biden downplayed the significance of VP debates by joking: “Who the hell was Obama’s VP? Nobody knows!”
Who will host next?
October 12: Ariana Grande with musical guest Stevie Nicks
October 19: Michael Keaton with musical guest Billie Eilish
November 2: John Mulaney with musical guest Chappell Roan
