SNL cold open imagines Trump impeachment hearings as a Judge Mathis-style reality courtroom drama - The Washington Post

SNL cold open imagines Trump impeachment hearings as a Judge Mathis-style reality courtroom drama - The Washington Post

But presumably most Americans are at least aware of the basics of the impeachment proceedings. With that basic framework already in place, the show’s writers could get creative with its cold opens. Gone were the days of various people showing up in the Oval Office to toss off a joke or two. Instead, we got the impeachment cleverly reimagined as a soap opera and a short trip to literal hell (i.e. Satan’s joint) with attorney Alan Dershowitz, as portrayed by Jon Lovitz.

This week was no different. Given the news from Washington, D.C., is arguably petering out, the show imagined “The Trial You Wish Had Happened,” a spoof on daytime courtroom reality shows. In fact, Judge Mathis (Kenan Thompson) presided over this satirical trial in which witnesses actually testified.

All the usual were there. Beck Bennett’s Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) showed up to “remind the American people that all men are innocent after being proven guilty.” Kate McKinnon’s pastel-sporting Sen. Lindsey O. Graham, drowning in an exaggerated Southern drawl, wanted everyone to know he’s aware the only way to get reelected is to “kiss Mr. Trump’s grits and tickle his whiskers.”

Cecily Strong debuted her mustachioed take on former national security adviser John Bolton, who just wants to sell his new book, “Harry Potter and the Room Where It Happened.” Meanwhile, Alex Moffatt’s Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) complained his “gecko eyes have been wide open for 86 straight hours.”

The sketch included all sort of comedic detours, such as McConnell and Graham plugging their favorite things. The former chose coal, saying a chunk can “power a lightbulb for almost two minutes,” while the latter repped guns, arguing that “you can’t watch the Super Bowl without a gun.”

At one point, for no discernible reason, Kyle Mooney burst into the courtroom for a moment, doing an impression of Joe Pesci’s character Vinny from “My Cousin Vinny.”

The funniest moment came courtesy of a besuited Pete Davidson, who rode in on a hoverboard, vape in hand, as Hunter Biden. He admitted he’s now “on the board of a Brazilian money-laundering company called Nepotismo.” When asked he if only got the job because of his father, former vice president Joe Biden, Davidson’s character responded, “That’s right. I’ve been selling Biden steaks from my office at the top of Biden Tower and letting foreign leaders stay at Biden-A-Lago. Oh, no, wait. That’s the president’s sons! Ya burnt!”

But really the sketch was a long windup to Alec Baldwin’s Trump appearing — coming into the courtroom with a walker, a reference to Harvey Weinstein showing up at his own trial with one — to say that “I’m guilty, but it ain’t no thang!”

“Ladies and Gentlemen of this government place, what I’ve learned from this trial is that clearly nothing I do or say has any consequence, so I’d like to come clean about everything. The call with the Ukraine wasn’t perfect; it was illegal. And, frankly, it was a butt dial. Also I watch CNN all the time, and it’s awesome,” he said before adding that he hates Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arkansas and West Virginia (“Sorry, West Carolina.”) He admitted to cheating at “golf, taxes, wives, elections, bathroom scales.” He added that he’s 475 pounds in reality and doesn’t need the walker but likes that it makes it easy to be lazy. Finally, he’s thrilled to now be best friends with McConnell.

The sketch may have felt a little on-the-nose if that’s how it ended, but SNL had one more trick up its sleeve: McConnell reflecting on his legacy through song, wondering “What have I done? Who am I now? Have I just thrown away all my dignity? Am I a clown?”

The show’s recent burst of creativity has been genuinely refreshing. Hopefully SNL can continue leaning into this inspiration long after the impeachment proceedings conclude. If it does, the back half of this season could easily be discussed for years to come.

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2020-02-02 05:39:00Z
https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/02/02/snl-cold-open-imagines-trump-impeachment-hearings-judge-mathis-style-reality-courtroom-drama/
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