The first “Saturday Night Live” after the election opened on a somber note, with Bowen Yang, Ego Nwodim, Kenan Thompson and Heidi Gardner standing on the “SNL” stage in regular clothes addressing the election of Donald Trump for a second term as president. The group took turns speaking about how Trump tried to forcibly overturn the results of the last election and how he called for vengeance against his enemies.
“To many people, including many people watching this show right now, the results were shocking and even horrifying,” Nwodim said, later noting that now “thanks to the Supreme Court, there are no guard rails” for his power.
“Nothing to protect the people who are brave enough to speak out against him,” Yang added.
Thompson then said, “That is why we at ‘SNL’ would like to say to Donald Trump, we have been with you all along.”
The joke of the bit was revealed as the cast began to try and convince the President-elect that they’ve supported him all along.
“We have never wavered in our support for you, even when others doubted you,” Yang said to laughter. “Every single person on this stage voted for you,” Sarah Sherman added, and Nwodim chimed in: “We see ourselves in you. We look at you and think, ‘That’s me.’”
They were joined by more cast members who wanted to fake-kowtow to Trump after years of mocking him.
Colin Jost took the stage and said, “And Mr. Trump, your honor, we know that you say things that are controversial but really you’re just speaking the truth. And I hate how the lame stream media, Michael Che, tries to twist your words.”
“And if we find out someone from here voted for Kamala we will rat them out so fast,” Yang said. “But the rest of us, Hail Trump, I voted for you at least once,” Marcello Hernandez added.
James Austin Johnson also joined in the fun, debuting a new Trump impression: Jacked Trump.
“That’s right it’s me, I’m Jacked Trump. They finally got the body right. From now on we’re going to do very flattering portrayal of Trump because he’s, frankly, my hero. And he’s gonna make a great president and, eventually, King. We love you buddy,” Johnson said but as he exited the stage, he was seen visibly rolling his eyes — the only cast member on stage to wink at the bit, as the rest played it as straight-faced as any sketch.
The cold open also debuted Dana Carvey as Elon Musk, who took the stage in Musk’s “Dark MAGA” hat, black t-shirt and jeans. “But seriously, I run the country now. America’s gonna be like one of my rockets. They’re super cool and super fun, but there’s a slight chance they could blow up and everybody dies,” Carvey’s Musk said in between jumping up and down and making a squished face in the style of the X owner.
The bit ended with Hernandez appealing to young men who voted for Trump, which then launched into a short rendition of “YMCA” before the assembled gang – basically the entire “SNL” cast – threw to a “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
Watch a clip from the cold open below.