The 45th season premiere of “Saturday Night Live” returned after a week of wild news – and the show’s cold open wasted no time in mocking President Donald Trump’s impeachment troubles.
The show opened with Alec Baldwin reprising Trump as he scrambled to call advisers after the House formally announced an impeachment inquiry into the president this week.
“I’m being impeached! It’s the greatest presidential harassment of all time,” Baldwin’s Trump told Rudy Giuliani, who was played by Kate McKinnon, over the phone. “I would know. I’m like the president of harassment.”
McKinnon’s Giuliani told Trump that he needed to calm down.
“We got nothing to worry about,” McKinnon as Giuliani said. “Nobody’s going to find out about our illegal side dealings with Ukraine, or how we tried to cover up those side dealings, or how we planned to cover up the cover up.”
“Rudy, where are you right now?” Baldwin’s Trump asked.
“I’m on CNN right now,” McKinnon’s Giuliani responded.
SNL’s Trump then called Attorney General William Barr, who was played by Aidy Bryant. Trump told Barr during the sketch that he would need someone to take the fall for him.
“But where are you going to find a sacrificial patsy that will do anything you say? Not it!” Bryant’s Barr responded.
Trump then immediately called Vice President Mike Pence, who was played by Beck Bennett.
“This whole Ukraine whistleblower thing is looking pretty bad for you,” Baldwin’s Trump said to Bennett’s Pence.
“For me? But you’re the one that broke the law,” Bennett’s Pence said.
“Hey, wait a minute, don’t drag me into your mess!” Baldwin’s Trump responded.
Baldwin’s Trump then called everyone from Kanye West, who was played by Chris Redd to Don King, who was played by Kenan Thompson to Liev Schreiber, who Trump thought was actually his fixer character from the Showtime series, “Ray Donovan.”
“I told you, Mr. President, Ray Donovan is a fictional character. I’m Liev Schreiber, the actor,” Schreiber as himself said.
Baldwin’s Trump then asked that if Schreiber couldn’t fix his problem, then could he put him in touch with John Wick?
“He’s fake too,” Schreiber responded.
Then Baldwin and Schreiber kicked off “SNL” with the show’s signature catchphrase, “Live … From New York! It’s Saturday night!”
