“Saturday Night Live” stars Kate McKinnon and Aidy Bryant portrayed senators Lindsey Graham and bearded Ted Cruz in Saturday’s cold open skit, skewering the just concluded impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.
McKinnon’s Sen. Graham danced in jubilation over the acquittal that took place earlier in the day, while being interviewed on Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (with Alex Moffat as host Tucker Carlson).
“The trial is over and now we can move past this and focus on some serious issues — that’s locking up Hillary and freeing beautiful Britney Spears,” said Graham.
Kate McKinnon: Reminds us that nothing works in America in first ‘SNL’ of 2021
“The important thing is the good guys won, again,” Graham said, pulling Bryant’s Sen. Cruz into the frame.
When Moffat’s Carlson said, “Can I say, the beard is working?” Bryant’s Cruz responded: “Well, you’d be the first.”
The two senators attempted to praise Trump’s impeachment trial defense lawyers as the skit moved to replays of past missteps by the legal team.
Attorney Bruce Castor (Mikey Day) appeared on the Senate floor saying: “I want to apologize for being unprepared the last time I was here, wife brought decaf. But I promise to make it up to you now.”
He then made a string of missteps, praised the prosecution, and announced, “Crushed it,” before giving the floor to his fellow lawyer Michael van der Veen (Pete Davidson).
“This is the worst thing to happen to the House in a couple of weeks,” Davidson’s van der Veen announced of the trial. “And now the House wants to bring up witnesses over Zoom? Zoom? I can’t afford Zoom. Do you think I’m getting paid for this?”
“If you think Donald Trump saying the word ‘fight’ was a crime, I invite you to watch this tape,” said Davidson’s van Der Veen, playing clip featuring a string of movie characters saying “fight” — including Minions and Jar Jar Binks.
The final guest was Sen. Mitch McConnell (Beck Bennett), who broke down about Trump admitting, “I think he’s guilty as hell. And the worst person I ever met. And I hope every city, county and state locks (him) up. Ahhh, God, that felt good. I’ve been holding that inside my neck for four years.”
