“Saturday Night Live” opened its latest episode with a sharp parody of the week’s biggest political story. The cold open featured James Austin Johnson as President Donald Trump reacting to the release of thousands of Jeffrey Epstein emails by the House Oversight Committee. These emails included claims that Trump “knew about the girls,” a line that sparked intense media attention. Ashley Padilla played White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who tried to downplay the scandal by claiming that “there was no news this week.” Her performance set the stage for a chaotic and fast-moving sketch.
Trump Parody Escalates the Comedy
Padilla dodged tough questions from reporters until Johnson’s Trump barged in and took control of the podium. He insisted he was “hiding almost nothing,” which only intensified suspicion. Johnson delivered lines that mocked Trump’s long-denied association with Epstein. He pointed to “thousands of pictures” of the two men together while insisting he “barely knew the guy.” The sketch pushed the absurdity further by joking about an email asking whether Vladimir Putin had a photo of Trump “blowing Bubba,” a nickname connected to Bill Clinton. Johnson also joked about selling gold-framed Epstein email printouts for $800, which added another layer of satire.
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A Thanksgiving Twist With a Dark Punchline
The cold open ended with a Thanksgiving joke that tied back to the scandal. Johnson’s Trump claimed he pardoned a turkey “who, by complete coincidence, is a convicted sex criminal.” This moment highlighted the writers’ focus on Epstein-related material throughout the episode. The sketch blended political humor, shock value, and a holiday theme in a way only SNL could pull off.
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Glen Powell Makes a Charming Hosting Debut
Glen Powell hosted the episode and delivered an engaging monologue. He joked about critics being tired of seeing his face and followed with the punchline, “You know who isn’t tired of seeing my face? Your mom.” Powell also shared a story about being previously scheduled to host SNL four years earlier before the pandemic delayed “Top Gun: Maverick.” He surprised the audience by bringing the UPS driver from his original celebration selfie onto the stage. The monologue felt warm, personal, and playful, which set the tone for the night.
Strong Sketches and a Heavy Dose of Nostalgia
The episode delivered a wave of nostalgia with the return of Will Forte’s iconic character MacGruber. He appeared in three separate sketches that linked his usual bomb-defusing chaos to the Epstein files. In each segment, MacGruber discovered that his name appeared in the documents, which triggered frantic attempts to escape the consequences. The sketches honored the character’s classic formula while weaving in the week’s headline scandal. Fans of the character got a satisfying comeback that blended absurdity with timely humor.
Sharp Weekend Update Jokes Hit Hard
“Weekend Update” continued the episode’s focus on the Epstein revelations. Colin Jost and Michael Che delivered rapid-fire jokes about Epstein’s emails, Trump’s alleged connection, and the viral “Bubba” photo reference. Che layered his jokes with dark humor while Jost added visual gags that amplified the punchlines. Their commentary felt sharper than usual due to the intensity of the week’s news cycle. The desk segment stayed focused and maintained strong comedic timing.
A Mixed Bag of Additional Sketches
Several other sketches stood out during the episode. A Thanksgiving “Friendsgiving” bit showcased Ashley Padilla’s rising comedic strength as she tried to hide her horror at a disastrous haircut. A chaotic bachelor-weekend sketch introduced Marcello Hernández as a loud and energetic Sebastian Maniscalco. A Scandinavian drama parody spotlighted Glen Powell’s comedic range and a strong impersonation of Stellan Skarsgård from James Austin Johnson. While a military-themed “Slay Division” sketch generated polarized reactions, younger viewers may find it more appealing.
A Cohesive Episode Driven by a Single Theme
This episode will be remembered as “the Epstein episode” due to its consistent focus on the released emails. The writers tied nearly every major sketch to the scandal. Glen Powell’s strong presence, the return of MacGruber, and solid cast performances made this one of the best episodes of the season so far. Despite one or two weaker sketches, the night succeeded because it maintained a clear theme, sharp humor, and confident pacing.
