Saturday Night Live got back to basics this week, kicking off the show with “live” coverage of what could be the final Jan. 6 committee hearing. And after a brief introduction from Kenan Thompson as Chairman Bennie Thompson—no relation—Heidi Gardner debuted her solid Liz Cheney impression.
“Whether you’re a Republican who’s not watching or a Democrat who’s nodding so hard your head is falling off, one person is responsible for this insurrection: Donald Trump,” Gardner’s Cheney said. “And one person will suffer the consequences: me.” Next she explained that she got her “backbone made of steel” from growing up with an especially tough dad, joking, “I guess you could say I have Big Dick Cheney energy.”
The big highlight of the sketch, however, was neither Cheney nor an appearance by James Austin Johnson’s Donald Trump, but some never-before-seen footage of Nancy Pelosi—an expert Chloe Fineman, taking over from Kate McKinnon—and Chuck Schumer—Sarah Sherman, in some truly inspired casting—as the Capitol riot was underway.
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While Pelosi took charge, calling Vice President Mike Pence, Schumer was on his flip phone with DoorDash. “Yes, we still haven’t received any of our lunch orders! And yes, I did change the drop-off location, due to some unfortunate treason, but it should have arrived by now.” And later, after Pelosi threatened to punch Trump out, Schumer added, “Let me tell you, if Trump comes, I’m going to let him punch me in the face. I’ll go to the hospital, free soup!”
Ultimately, the sketch was much harder on those who think they can take down Trump than it was on the former president himself. The sentiment was best summed up by Andrew Dismukes as Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL). “Trump is 100 percent coming and this time he will be held accountable,” he said. “Sure, he got away with a lot of stuff in the ’70s, the ’80s, the ’90s, the early 2000s, the 2010s, and the early 2020s, but that ends now!”
“Well, we tried,” Bennie Thompson concluded, “it was a fun country while it lasted.”
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