On Saturday Night Live, Bowen Yang’s J.D. Vance and Jim Gaffigan’s Tim Walz took to the stage for a debate.
The latest episode parodied the Vice Presidential debate that took place earlier this week, and saw the awkward Vance and the goofy Waltz square off in a slightly more friendly debate. And SNL’s cold open brought the same energy.
The sketch began with Kamala Harris, played by Maya Rudolph, and Douglas Emhoff, played by Andy Samberg, sitting and watching a debate. “I feel good tonight,” Rudolph says. “We have momentum. Liz Cheney is going to support me and Bruce Springsteen ’cause baby, I was born to run (quoting his song ‘Born To Run’) ”
The debate begins with moderators Norah O’Donnell, played by Heidi Gardner, and Margaret Brennan, played by Chloe Fineman, asking the candidates to make opening statements.
“Thank you for having me. I want to start by appealing to female voters. I understand that both of our hosts tonight are mothers, and I love that,” said Vance of Young. He says uncomfortably.
The hosts then pitch to a seemingly deranged Waltz, who is scribbling on a pile of paper, “Are you ready for your answer?” Brennan asks.
“No, you have to grade these papers,” says Gaffigan’s Waltz. “I received a bunch of midterm tests.”
The hosts began asking questions, with the first question focusing on how the candidates would resolve the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
“That’s a very important question,” Vance says, declining to answer directly. “Margaret, that’s an important question, and since it’s the question you asked me tonight, it deserves an answer.”
Waltz doesn’t know the answer either. “That’s why I say the word basic a lot, because arguments are 30 percent fun and 70 percent mentally insane.”
Ms. Harris, played by Rudolph, grows anxious when she hears the vice presidential candidate’s response, but her husband eases her worries by saying, “I’m not saying anything strange.”
But Samberg’s Emhoff spoke too soon. “I made friends with a school shooter,” Gaffigan’s Walz exclaimed, referring to the moment the Democratic candidate made a gaffe during a debate.
“As a dumb white guy, this really disappoints my peers,” Samberg’s Emhoff responds. “I’m in a group chat with Josh Gad and Jason Kelsey, and the mood is dark.”
There was also a moment during the sketch where the two vice presidential candidates found some surprising “common ground” and looked into each other’s eyes. But after Donald Trump refused to accept the results of the 2020 election, the moderators quickly got the debate back on track, asking Vance if he would certify the results of the upcoming election.
“Right after Donald Trump peacefully handed over power – without fact checking – and bailed out Obamacare, he voluntarily – without checking – boarded a plane without incident – confirming that That’s rich,” says Fact Check, who is afraid of Vance.
Dana Carvey Joe Biden later visited Harris at her home, and during the debate, Walz emphasized that she should highlight “all the great things we’ve done” in the past four years in the White House. .
“Gasoline prices are down, border crossings are down, and the Emmy for ‘The Bear’ is down,” he says. “Everyone please come down tonight.”
Comedian Nate Bergatze returned to Studio 8H on Saturday to host the sketch comedy show for the second time with musical guest Coldplay.
At the end of the episode, SNL remembered Kris Kristofferson, who passed away on September 28th, with a special memorial card. The country singer-songwriter hosted the NBC show in 1976 with musical guest Rita Coolidge.