In the second-to-last episode before the winter holidays, “Saturday Night Live” brought viewers into the homes of average American families in a parody of the political discourse surrounding President Donald Trump’s impeachment and other issues dividing the country.
Actress Scarlett Johansson hosted the episode and Niall Horan was the musical guest.
Aidy Bryant kicked off the episode’s cold open dressed as an old-timey snowman.
“Well, well, well, it’s almost Christmas,” Bryant said. “And folks in America seem more divided than ever. But if we listen in to some dinner conversations tonight, I bet we find out we have more in common than we realize. And now we can listen, because I hacked into three Nest home cams.”
The segment went on to feature three families’ holiday dinners as they lampooned today’s political and cultural discourse, before Kate McKinnon interrupted Bryant with an impression of teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg.
“I also have a Christmas message,” she said. “In 10 years, this snowman won’t exist. Her home will be a puddle. Santa, reindeer, the North Pole. All of it — gone.”
Johansson, who was hosting for her sixth time, delivered a monologue that took a dramatic turn when cast members started turning to dust.
“Oh my god, am I going to have to save everyone?” she said. “I left my Black Widow costume in the car.”
Colin Jost opened this week’s “Weekend Update” with news of the House Judiciary approving the articles of the impeachment.
“Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, who was accidentally CGI’d to look like both Joe Pesci and Robert DeNiro, appealed to Republicans on the committee saying, ‘When Trump’s time is passed, how will you be remembered?’” Jost said.
Jost continued: “Remembered? I barely know you now and I think you’re my congressman. I hate to break it to you, but the only way Americans remember a congressman is if he sends someone a picture of his penis. And we only remembered that because his name was Weiner.”
In another part of “Weekend Update,” Bowen Yang returned as a saucy Chinese trade official, a fictional character he first introduced to “SNL” in October.
“Well Mr. Biao, for those of us who don’t know, what exactly is a tariff?” asked anchor Michael Che.
“Okay, I’ll explain,” Yang said. “A tariff is like a tax but it’s a little bit b----y.”
Musical guest Niall Horan, donning a pale pink suit, serenaded the crowd with his song “Nice to Meet Ya,” the lead single on his upcoming second studio album. The song was co-written by Horan and singer-songwriter Ruth-Anne Cunningham.
For his second song, Horan performed “Put a Little Love on Me,” another single from his next album.
