Saturday Night Live pulled no punches as it returned for its first episode of the new year, taking multiple shots at President Donald Trump and his cabinet.
Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth were all mocked during the six and a half minute cold open.
Some viewers were less than impressed, calling the sketch ‘boring’ and ‘not funny’, while another said it was ‘getting old’.
The bit opened up with James Austin Johnson impersonating the president: ‘I hope everyone had a nice holiday and got what they wanted for Christmas.
‘I got what I wanted – my very own someone else’s Nobel prize!’ the comic said, referencing how Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented her award to him on Friday.
He continued by saying he would cherish it, before tossing it away like trash.
The comedian then quipped about the President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, who was captured in his home in Caracas with his wife on January 3: ‘And in my stocking, I got Maduro, Nicolas Maduro.
‘We did a reverse Santa on him. We came down the chimney with a bag and took him away.’
The studio audience largely remained quiet as the joke appeared to fall flat.
President Trump played by James Austin Johnson facilitated the faux press conference introducing some member of his cabinet. Marco Rubio was played Marcello Hernandez (middle) and Vance played a new cast member, Jeremy Culhane (right)
Collin Jost played an aggressive Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as he bragged about the capture of former Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro
The skit continued as Trump introduced some of his cabinet members, calling them his ‘little freaks’, as Rubio, played by Marcello Hernandez, and Vance, played for the first time by Jeremy Culhane, joined him on stage.
The sketch mocked a moment between Rubio and Trump at a US oil executives meeting on January 9.
The Secretary of State passed the president a discreet note, which was then read aloud.
Vance was the subject of mockery next as Trump highlighted his ‘new makeover’, speaking about the online rumors about the Vice President’s use of eye makeup.
The new cast member, who replaced SNL veteran Bowen Yang, then went on to say: ‘Thank you, Mr. President. And, America, here is my message to you. You know, I came here to do two things, kick bubble gum and chew a**, and I’m all out of bubble gum.
Brought out next was Ashley Padilla as Noem, who was mocked for her response to the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good on January 7.
Homeland Security Secretary played by Ashley Padilla, constant wearing of hats was mocked as well
A user on X shared her disappointment of the sketch along with many others
‘Thank you, Mr. President, for having me,’ said Homeland Security Secretary played by Ashley Padilla. ‘Before we start, I’d like to give a quick shout-out to my hair-and-makeup team, who absolutely hate me.
‘Now, obviously, there’s been clashes on both sides in Minneapolis. And have we been perfect? Yes.’
The final member of Trump’s top team on the chopping block was Pete Hegseth, played by Colin Jost, who aggressively bragged about the capture of Maduro.
‘We dunked on Venezuela. Next, we’re gonna sack-tap Iran. I’m gonna put the Ayatollah in the cuck chair. I’m going to tell him, “If I-ah-tol you once, I-ah-tol-ah you a thousand times: You don’t dare kill your protesters! That’s our thing!”‘
While the in-studio audience seemed to enjoy the cold open, viewers online were less than pleased with the mockery.
‘Not funny. Try harder. Make fun of Kamala and her sad book tour. Oh right. You wouldn’t dare,’ said one person.
President Trump is seen flanked by Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro
Another added: ‘The show is rarely funny. You need new writers and a reset.’
A third wrote: ‘Same old, same old’ and added a picture of a sleeping baby, captioned ‘boring’.
Critics of the show were also outraged after Stranger Things actor Finn Wolfhard made a vulgar joke about women during his Saturday Night Live monologue.
Wolfhard was one of the star guests on Saturday’s show. He spoke about growing up onscreen and going through puberty while being in the spotlight.
‘My voice changed on camera, my first kiss was on camera, and I can’t actually believe I’m admitting this, but the first time I learned what a woman looks like down there – was on camera as well,’ he said.
The broadcast then cut to a clip of a young Wolfhard staring in shock at the sci-fi show’s main villain, a howling monster called the Demogorgon.
But the joke did not sit well with some viewers, who took to social media to express their disgust.