After addressing the “racist” and “really f*cked up” cutoff to SNAP benefits as a result of the ongoing government shutdown on his social media, Saturday Night Live Weekend Update co-anchor Michael Che continued his commentary with a joke about the dire state of food insecurity in the U.S.
“Due to the government shutdown, SNAP food benefits ran out of funds today, but the government still provides needy families with free food through the Second Amendment,” he said, as the show’s program flashed a graphic of a gun on screen, eliciting loud laughs and audible winces from the audience as realization set in.
Elsewhere, Che lobbed a joke at Prince Andrew, who was recently stripped of his royal titles by King Charles III amid continued controversy over his links to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“Prince Andrew has been stripped of his royal title of prince due to his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein, and Andrew says he can only become prince again if he gets a kiss from a young princess,” Che quipped.
Last night’s edition of Weekend Update also featured the triumphant return of Bowen Yang‘s George Santos — still a con artist, but with a new notch on his belt as the Louvre robber. The disgraced former congressman, and perennial liar, guested on the desk after his prison sentence was commuted, bragging about having won the New York City marathon (which is currently taking place).
“Well, I’m rich now too because I just took a trip to the Louvre,” he quipped, flashing his jeweled necklace, which he claimed he reappropriated for his “ancestors, the Zales.”
Throughout the appearance, Yang’s Santos also sidebarred to take phone calls from his fellow inmates Ghislaine Maxwell, “roomie” Diddy and “twunk murderer” Luigi Mangione. After stealing co-anchor Colin Jost‘s wallet and unveiling the photos he keeps of his female SNL colleagues, Weekend Update continued the ongoing bit that Jost has an unhealthy obsession with the women on SNL. “Give me back my angels!” Jost shot back.
As a bonus, Santos also claimed, “I won the World Series!” moments after the Los Angeles Dodgers’ repeat win.
In a surprise standout, Ashley Padilla and Andrew Dismukes proved themselves to be MVPs — shining not only in the “Hockey PSA” sketch as insufferable commercial directors, but also as “Two People Who Just Hooked Up” discussing the government shutdown. Enter: Padilla with bedraggled hair; as she questions whether she looks OK, Dismukes — clearly smitten — replies, “Perfect.”
What starts off as a pitiful attempt to discuss the warring Democrats and Republicans grows into thinly veiled metaphors for their burgeoning relationship, as the duo gaze longingly into each other’s eyes for extended seconds at a time.
“Maybe the Republicans are scared because their government hasn’t been opened in … a long time. God, not since Jason,” Padilla reflects.
“Who is Jason?” Jost interjects, “Is he a congressman?”
Padilla scoffs, “He’s not a man.”
I won’t spoil what happens next, as the fledgling couple encounters trouble in recently minted paradise, but it’s a delightful demise.
