Of course Saturday Night Live had to open with a coronavirus joke.
On Saturday night, Beck Bennett’s Mike Pence kicked things off in a staged press conference, telling journalists, “Most of you know me from the sentence, ‘Even if Trump was removed, we’d still be stuck with Mike Pence.’ Trump has put me in charge of the coronavirus, even though I don’t believe in 'science.’”
Soon enough, Ben Carson (Kenan Thompson) showed up to back up the vice president: “This is something I know about, and rest assured, in my expert opinion, it’s gonna be bad.” Pence’s best tip? “Covering your mouth, and always closing your eyes during intercourse.”
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And then came the parade of presidential candidates, all eager to weigh in. Fred Armisen’s Michael Bloomberg wanted to know if now is the right time for a president with no charisma or ability to connect with people—at which point Kate McKinnon’s Elizabeth Warren emerged, wasting no time before roasting him like she did at the debates.
“Did you really think you were gonna get away from me?” she asked. “It’s my job now: I follow you around and make your life a living hell.”
This week’s host, John Mulaney, took the rotating part of Joe Biden—a part that’s previously been portrayed by Jason Sudeikis and Woody Harrelson. “Guess who just kicked butt in South Cracker Barrel!” he exclaimed. As for why he looks so different right now? “The surgery is starting to settle.”
But it was Larry David’s Bernie Sanders who stole the show. “What about me possibly winning the nomination, huh?” he said. “Universal health care doesn’t sound too crazy now, does it?”
Colin Jost popped up as Pete Buttigieg—but before he could say much of anything, Rachel Dratch slapped him down as Amy Klobuchar: “The whole martyr-from-the-Midwest lane is mine!... I will cut you—in the line at Target, son.”
But before the candidates signed off, Sanders did drop one controversial observation: “I might get in trouble for saying this,” he mused, “but you know who was great at washing his hands? Josef Stalin.”
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