In its highly anticipated Season 51 premiere on October 4, Saturday Night Live wasted no time addressing the recent controversy surrounding late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The cold open of the show took aim at Kimmel’s suspension from Jimmy Kimmel Live! following pressure from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over comments he made after the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
The opening sketch featured James Austin Johnson portraying President Donald Trump, who warned that he was "keeping an eye" on SNL to ensure the show didn’t mock him too harshly. Trump added that the show would have to "answer to my attack dog at the FCC," before Mikey Day appeared as Brendan Carr, the FCC Chairman, as the song “Somebody’s Watching Me” played in the background. Trump humorously emphasized his oversight with the line, "Daddy’s watching!" signaling that no one was safe from his scrutiny.
Kimmel's show had been temporarily suspended last month after Carr allegedly pushed ABC to act following Kimmel’s remarks. The suspension sparked public outcry, with accusations of government censorship. Trump has previously called for the firing of other late-night hosts, including NBC's Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, further highlighting the tension between political figures and late-night television.
Later in the show, during the Weekend Update segment, new SNL cast member Kam Patterson referenced Kimmel directly. Patterson joked about his desire to say a racial slur on air, only for Colin Jost to respond that this could lead to fines by the FCC. Patterson, in turn, quipped, "This is exactly what Jimmy Kimmel fought for!"
The cold open also featured a rare appearance by Jost, who portrayed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a sketch mocking military weight requirements. Jost’s Hegseth delivered an exaggeratedly angry speech, calling for the military to adopt the same rules as a "frat party," notably banning “fat chicks.” Trump, played by Johnson, interrupted the sketch, declaring, "Late-night TV!" as the biggest threat to democracy, adding a layer of meta commentary on ongoing culture wars involving comedians.
The episode also mocked the backlash faced by comedians like Bill Burr and Dave Chappelle, who performed at the controversial Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia. Trump humorously wondered if Jost had received an invitation, to which Jost replied, "I didn’t get an offer."
In a meta moment, Johnson’s Trump joked about the addition of several new cast members to SNL, quipping, “17 new cast members” but still having “the ‘Update’ guy doing the open.”
The show concluded with a monologue by musical guest Bad Bunny, who addressed criticism over his upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance. He humorously edited a montage of Fox News hosts to make it sound as if they were supporting his Super Bowl appearance, adding a comedic twist to his response.
Saturday Night Live will return next week with Amy Poehler hosting and musical guest Role Model. Following that, Sabrina Carpenter will take the hosting reins, with musical guest Sabrina Carpenter.
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