Forget traditional debates we’ve seen this election cycle. Saturday Night Live’s cold open suggested a new way to get to know the presidential candidates during the October 12 episode. CNN The Source Kaitlan Collins played by Chloe Fineman opened by saying that despite repeating offers that Donald Trump refused to another debate with Kamala Harris, there is one format he did agree to do. A game of Family Feud election edition!
Family Feud: Election Edition pic.twitter.com/x03aYhHKTX— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) October 13, 2024
Kenan Thompson rocking a stache hosted as Steve Harvey. He introduced Team Harris and Team Trump. Leading the way was the vice president, who remarked she loved a man getting paid millions of dollars at his black job. Joining her was First Gentleman Doug Emhoff played by Andy Samberg and Jim Gaffigan’s take on Tim Walz, the Democratic nominee for Veep. Rounding out the team was Dana Carvey as President Joe Biden.
Heading up the Republican side was James Austin Johnson as Trump. Former First Lady Melania apparently no-showed. “I could have sworn she was standing beside me two years ago,” the spoof Trump said. Then there was Donald Trump Jr. (Mikey Day) and Bowen Yang as J.D. Vance.
Celine Dion Sports Promo pic.twitter.com/xvBo0EtrkR— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) October 13, 2024
They played off: Something you keep in your glove compartment. “Harris” got on the board with the second answer on the board with Glock, referencing her past mentioning that she owns a gun. “Emhoff” repeated the answer following his wife. “A Second Gun” was the number one answer! “Waltz” said a bunch of things that “Harvey” summed up as an answer of “White nonsense.” It was not on the board. “Trump Jr.” and “Vance” were, “told not to speak.” Trump’s filibuster was summed up as the answer: Dementia. The Democrats win!
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With just a few weeks left until the election, we can expect SNL to rev up the politically infused sketches during Season 50. The episode had a wickedly good host in Ariana Grande. The pop singer and star of the upcoming movie Wicked returned for her second time at the helm of the iconic sketch comedy show. She showed her comedic chops and also served as the musical guest during the March 12, 2016 episode. Grande noted the last time she was on SNL that we were gearing up to elect our first female president. Grande followed it up with, “I guess the second time’s the charm.”
This time around Grande focused on hosting as the legendary Stevie Nicks was the featured performer for the evening. That didn’t stop the 31-year-old from showing her vocal range channeling Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, and Broadway in a show-stopper monolgue. Later on, she also did a stellar Celine Dion in a mock UFC 308 commercial singing, “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” and then doing a perfect impression of Jennifer Coolidge “for Maybelline.” Nicks performed her pro-choice anthem “The Lighthouse” and her hit ‘Edge of Seventeen.”
What did you think of Ariana Grande as host?
Saturday Night Live, Saturdays, 11:30/10:30c. NBC
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