S.N.L.: James Talarico Gets Cold Open Cameo After Texas Win
Texas Senator-elect James Talarico interrupted a Trump sketch in the Saturday Night Live cold open after the midterms. Druski hosted the show's fifth episode of Season 52, with The Strokes as musical guest, in the first broadcast since the election.
On "Saturday Night Live," Texas Senator-elect James Talarico crashed the cold open in the show's first episode since the midterm elections, interrupting James Austin Johnson's Trump impression to ask how many more "Trump freezes" the show plans to do.
Johnson's Trump answered with one word: "Infinity."
The sketch
The cold open began with Sarah Sherman as Sen. Chuck Schumer and Kenan Thompson as Hakeem Jeffries celebrating a "blue tsunami." The two Democrats took credit for the wave and said they would lead the new crop of lawmakers heading to Congress.
Johnson's Trump then froze the action, a device the show has used in cold opens all season. He lamented the results mostly because of who he would have to work with. "It's not that they're Democrats," he said. "It's that they're millennials."
He went on to list "New Girl," "Adorkable" and "Mason jar weddings" as signs that millennial cringe was back.
Colin Jost also appeared as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, projecting confidence despite the Republican losses. "I live a YOLO lifestyle," he said in the sketch.
Talarico steps in
Talarico appeared near the end of the sketch to cheers from the studio audience. "I'm the guy who's been texting you every day asking for $5," he said, introducing himself. Trump replied: "In this economy, who can blame you?"
Talarico then pitched cooperation, saying that if the two worked together, "we can make life better for everyday Americans." He followed with the joke that gave the cameo its punchline.
"It's clear people want something new. They want something different," he said. "I'm talking, of course, about SNL's cold opens."
The Texas result
The cameo came days after Talarico won the Texas Senate race with 55.09% of the vote, beating Ken Paxton. Variety reported that it flips the seat to the Democrats and gives Texas its first blue senator since 1988.
The win was part of a Democratic sweep that, delivered control of the House and the Senate and a majority of governorships.
Druski makes history
Druski hosted the fifth episode of Season 52, with The Strokes as musical guest. Druski, whose real name is Drew Desbordes, is the first online content creator to host the sketch show.
NBC's Saturday Night Live account posted the cold open clip on social media under the title "Trump breaks down the midterm election results."
