“SNL” Weekend Update co-host Colin Jost opened this week’s segment talking about the revolving door for staffers in the Trump White House, with the big exit being communications director Hope Hicks.
“Who still works in our government?” Jost said to kick things off. “Like, who still does an actual government job? At this point, the White House is like that dead mall in your hometown. It’s just a sunglasses kiosk and a couple of raccoons fighting in a JC Penney.”
Jost mentioned how Hick resigned from her White House post in order to pursue “other opportunities,” an idea that Jost found hilarious.
“You know things are bad when a 29-year-old with no experience, who works directly for the president of the United States, thinks ‘I gotta get out of this dead end job!’” Jost joked. “She’s resigning to pursue other opportunities the way people on the Titanic decided they wanted to start seeing other boats.”
It was a pretty loaded Weekend update from there, what with “SNL” having taken the last three weekends off, though this past week had more than enough material for multiple shows. Jost and fellow co-host Michael Che covered Jared Kushner’s shrinking security clearance, Trump’s proposal to arm teachers and Dick’s Sporting Goods no longer selling assault rifles. And, of course, the meeting President Trump had this past week with lawmakers in which he suggested strict gun control laws only to a day later seemingly reverse course after meeting with representatives from the NRA.
“So he was alone in a room with a bunch of gun enthusiasts and they somehow managed to change his mind,” Che said. “You know that once happened to me. I once spoke out against gang violence but then after a very private meeting with the Bloods on the roof of my building I realized I disagreed with myself too.”
Guests on this Weekend Update included “SNL” cast member Cecily Strong as Hope Hicks to read a touching goodbye letter to folks in the Trump administration, Kyle Mooney as himself to discuss why Jost won’t invite him to his Oscar party, and Leslie Jones to excitedly describe how awesome her trip to the Winter Olympics was.
You can watch all of Saturday’s edition of Weekend Update on SNL in the embedded videos below.