Will Heath/NBC(NEW YORK) — Saturday Night Live took aim at last Thursday’s Democratic debate in a cold open that featured celebrity cameos from Maya Rudolph, Jason Sudeikis, Larry David, Fred Armisen, Rachel Dratch and Alec Baldwin.
The sketch addressed the debate’s lack of diversity, with Senator Cory Booker, former HUD Secretary Julian Castro, and Representative Tulsi Gabbard all failing to qualify.
“I’m Bernie Sanders. I’m white, can’t help it,” said David in his opening statement.
Rudolph, returning as Senator Kamala Harris, who recently dropped out of the race, showed up sipping a martini.
After delivering a rap criticizing supporters for not coming through with donations, Rudolph snapped, “You coulda had a bad b****,” repeating a line from Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts.” Lizzo was Saturday’s musical guest.
Dratch returned as Senator Amy Klobuchar, who announced, “The bang is glued girlfriend, and tonight my voice will be as solid as my carefully rehearsed Midwestern mom jokes.”
“Notice anything different about me?” asked Sudeikis’ Biden. “Grandpa Joe got the glow up. I was ‘Irishmaned’: younger, yep; taller, sure; better, eh.”
When Armisen, as former NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg was asked how he got to the debate after not actually qualifying for it, he answered “for $30 million PBS is now owned by viewers like me.”
The debate was interrupted by Baldwin’s President Donald Trump, who addressed his impeachment, declaring, “You think I’m afraid? You think I’m nervous? What are they going to do, impeach me?
“Impeach me outside,” he said in a nod to Danielle Bregoli’s “Cash me outside” from her Dr. Phil appearance.
Also joining the debate were Colin Jost as South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Bowen Yang as entrepreneur Andrew Yang and Cecily Strong as Gabbard. Kate McKinnon pulled double duty as Sen. Elizabeth Warren and House speaker Nancy Pelosi.
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