Updated 1m ago · Entertainment
James Talarico Crashes SNL Cold Open, Mocks Trump
Texas Senator-elect James Talarico, a Democrat, made a surprise appearance in Saturday Night Live's cold open. It was the show's first episode since the midterm elections.
- Talarico introduced himself as the man texting voters daily for $5.
- He asked how many more Trump freeze-frame cold opens the show would air.
- Johnson's Trump answered: "Infinity!"
- 14 seconds of crowd applause interrupted Talarico's entrance.
Why it matters: The sketch opened with Democratic leaders celebrating midterm gains, then mocked figures in both parties.
- Sarah Sherman and Kenan Thompson played Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries.
- Colin Jost appeared as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
How 9 sources split on this story
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Factuality
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Political Bias
Coverage by lean
9 sources · 9 articles · 56% Left coverage
Center coverage, 3 sources: The center focuses on the sketch's jokes at Trump's expense and the crowd's reaction to Talarico.
Left coverage, 5 sources: The left treats the cameo as entertainment news, folding it into a rundown of the season's hosts and ratings.
Variety1h'SNL' Open: Texas Senator-Elect James Talarico Crashes Donald TrumpHollywood Reporter31mJames Talarico Crashes ‘SNL’ Cold Open, Apologizes for Texting Us So MuchMediaite55mJames Talarico Crashes Saturday Night Live Cold Open, Vows to Work Together With ‘Ass Man’ TrumpRolling Stone53m‘SNL’ Cold Open: James Talarico Crashes Trump’s Midterm PostmortemThe Daily Beast45mTrump’s Dem Nemesis Crashes ‘SNL’ Cold Open
Right1 source
What’s next: Druski hosted the episode, the first online content creator to host the show.
- John Mulaney hosts Nov. 14, with Phoebe Bridgers as musical guest.
- Whether SNL will keep featuring newly elected officials after the midterms.
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