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On ‘S.N.L.,’ Alec Baldwin and Melissa McCarthy Take On Trump and Sean Spicer On ‘S.N.L.,’ Alec Baldwin and Melissa McCarthy Take On Trump and Sean Spicer
(about 1 hour later)
It took nearly an hour for Alec Baldwin, this weekend’s host of “Saturday Night Live” and its resident impersonator of President Trump, to don a certain familiar orange wig and assume the role that has occasionally infuriated the current real-life occupant of the Oval Office. In the meantime, “S.N.L” took plenty of satirical shots at the Trump administration, starting with the return of Melissa McCarthy as the White House press secretary Sean Spicer. It took nearly an hour for Alec Baldwin, this weekend’s host of “Saturday Night Live” and its resident impersonator of President Trump, to don a certain familiar orange wig and assume the role that has occasionally infuriated the current real-life occupant of the Oval Office. In the meantime, “S.N.L.” took plenty of satirical shots at the Trump administration, starting with the return of Melissa McCarthy as the White House press secretary, Sean Spicer.
Ms. McCarthy, who made a surprise appearance last week as an agitated Mr. Spicer in an “S.N.L.” sketch that drew wide acclaim (and apparently created some consternation in Mr. Trump’s inner circle) was back in the role, in the opening of this week’s show. As Mr. Spicer, she announced to the White House press corps that “I’m calm now,” then stopped herself from swearing because, as she explained, “that’s the old Spicey, and this is the new Spicey.” Ms. McCarthy, who made a surprise appearance last week as an agitated Mr. Spicer in an “S.N.L.” sketch that drew wide acclaim (and apparently created some consternation in Mr. Trump’s inner circle), was back in the role, in the opening of this week’s show. As Mr. Spicer, she announced to the White House press corps that “I’m calm now,” then stopped herself from swearing because, as she explained, “That’s the old Spicey, and this is the new Spicey.”
She went on to use action figures and Barbie dolls to explain a new process of “extreme vetting”; chastised the news media for failing to report on terrorist attacks like “the Horror at Six Flags,” “the Slaughter at Fraggle Rock,” and “the Night they Drove Old Dixie Down”; plugged some of Ivanka Trump’s merchandise, a bangle and a shoe (“These babies are real head-turners”) before introducing the new attorney general, Jeff Sessions, played by the “S.N.L.” cast member Kate McKinnon. She went on to use action figures and Barbie dolls to explain a new process of “extreme vetting”; chastised the news media for failing to report on terrorist attacks like “the Horror at Six Flags,” “the Slaughter at Fraggle Rock,” and “the Night they Drove Old Dixie Down”; and plugged some of Ivanka Trump’s merchandise, a bangle and a shoe (“These babies are real head-turners”), before introducing the new attorney general, Jeff Sessions, played by the “S.N.L.” cast member Kate McKinnon.
The Sessions character began to explain, “We all know there are two kinds of crime: regular and black,” only to be hastened away by Ms. McCarthy.The Sessions character began to explain, “We all know there are two kinds of crime: regular and black,” only to be hastened away by Ms. McCarthy.
Ms. McKinnon reappeared later in the night as Mr. Trump’s counselor Kellyanne Conway, in a taped “Fatal Attraction”-style thriller that found her crazily stalking and threatening the CNN anchor Jake Tapper (Beck Bennett) with a knife after he refuses to have her again on his program. “I just want to be a part of the news, Jake,” the Conway character says. (She later falls out a window and lands on the pavement, but reassembles herself, good as new.)Ms. McKinnon reappeared later in the night as Mr. Trump’s counselor Kellyanne Conway, in a taped “Fatal Attraction”-style thriller that found her crazily stalking and threatening the CNN anchor Jake Tapper (Beck Bennett) with a knife after he refuses to have her again on his program. “I just want to be a part of the news, Jake,” the Conway character says. (She later falls out a window and lands on the pavement, but reassembles herself, good as new.)
During “Weekend Update,” Ms. McKinnon showed up again as Senator Elizabeth Warren, in a short desk-side segment that referenced Tuesday’s incident when Ms. Warren was silenced by Republican senators for reading a letter from Coretta Scott King that criticized Mr. Sessions’s record on civil rights.During “Weekend Update,” Ms. McKinnon showed up again as Senator Elizabeth Warren, in a short desk-side segment that referenced Tuesday’s incident when Ms. Warren was silenced by Republican senators for reading a letter from Coretta Scott King that criticized Mr. Sessions’s record on civil rights.
Playing Ms. Warren, she began to interrogate the “Weekend Update” co-anchor Colin Jost. “It says here that you and Michael Che are credited as full cast members on the show, is that correct?” she asked. “Yet you only perform on a 10-minute segment entitled — I think I have it here — it’s called ‘Weekend Update’? And yet, you collect the same paycheck of a cast member who appears throughout the entire show?”Playing Ms. Warren, she began to interrogate the “Weekend Update” co-anchor Colin Jost. “It says here that you and Michael Che are credited as full cast members on the show, is that correct?” she asked. “Yet you only perform on a 10-minute segment entitled — I think I have it here — it’s called ‘Weekend Update’? And yet, you collect the same paycheck of a cast member who appears throughout the entire show?”
Mr. Baldwin appeared at last as Mr. Trump in a parody of “The People’s Court,” where the president turned, after an appeals court had refused to reinstate his travel ban. A judge played by Cecily Strong asked him, “Mr. Trump, you understand this is a TV court, right?” He replied, “That’s OK. I’m a TV president.” Mr. Baldwin appeared at last as Mr. Trump in a parody of “The People’s Court,” to which the president turns after an appeals court refused to reinstate his travel ban. A judge played by Cecily Strong asked him, “Mr. Trump, you understand this is a TV court, right?” He replied, “That’s O.K. I’m a TV president.”
Mr. Baldwin’s Trump called the Russian President Vladimir Putin (a bare-chested Mr. Bennett) as a character witness. In broken English, he testified, “Lay off President Trump, O.K.? This man is a great friend. He’s my little American happy meal. He’d do anything for you. Go against his own country, just to make you happy.” Mr. Baldwin’s Trump called the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, (a bare-chested Mr. Bennett) as a character witness. In broken English, he testified, “Lay off President Trump, O.K.? This man is a great friend. He’s my little American happy meal. He’d do anything for you. Go against his own country, just to make you happy.”
As he left the courtroom, Mr. Bennett added, “See you at Mar-a-Lago, baby.”As he left the courtroom, Mr. Bennett added, “See you at Mar-a-Lago, baby.”
The “S.N.L.” cast member Leslie Jones also had an unexpected opportunity to play Mr. Trump in a taped segment that finds her yearning to take over the character from Mr. Baldwin. (“I never dreamed that I could play the president,” Ms. Jones said in the segment. “But then Melissa played Spicer and I was like, yo, why can’t I play Trump?”)The “S.N.L.” cast member Leslie Jones also had an unexpected opportunity to play Mr. Trump in a taped segment that finds her yearning to take over the character from Mr. Baldwin. (“I never dreamed that I could play the president,” Ms. Jones said in the segment. “But then Melissa played Spicer and I was like, yo, why can’t I play Trump?”)
Ms. Jones spends time studying Mr. Trump’s mannerisms and vocal tics, and fielding questions from her curious cast mates (“Is this like a sendup on his fragile masculinity?” “Is it like a ‘Hamilton’ thing where you’re making a comment on race and politics?”) Ms. Jones spends time studying Mr. Trump’s mannerisms and vocal tics, and fielding questions from her curious castmates (“Is this like a sendup on his fragile masculinity?” “Is it like a ‘Hamilton’ thing where you’re making a comment on race and politics?”)
For her efforts, Ms. Jones is thrown out of NBC headquarters and onto the street. There she gets the last laugh when Melania Trump (played by Ms. Strong) mistakes her for the real Mr. Trump and invites her into a limousine.For her efforts, Ms. Jones is thrown out of NBC headquarters and onto the street. There she gets the last laugh when Melania Trump (played by Ms. Strong) mistakes her for the real Mr. Trump and invites her into a limousine.