Alec Baldwin's absence didn't keep "Saturday Night Live" from getting political in this week's cold open sketch. Since much of the news cycle this week focused on President Donald Trump-appointed attorney general Jeff Sessions' possible contact with a Russian ambassador prior to the November election, it made sense that "SNL" set its sights on Sessions.
In what was both an homage to Academy Award-winning film "Forrest Gump" and a straightforward takedown of Sessions' flip-flopping on whether he'd taken meetings with Russian officials, Kate McKinnon presented a hapless, racially insensitive version of the attorney general trying to explain himself to largely uninterested strangers. The sketch takes us to a familiar place: a bus stop bench, where sits a friendly Southern man offering chocolate to strangers.
"My name is Jeff. Jeff Sessions," he says. "I'm the attorney general of the whole United States."
Real-life Sessions recused himself Thursday from leading the investigation into the Trump team's Russia contacts after it was revealed he had met with a Russian ambassador twice prior to the November election. Sessions had denied in a Senate hearing that he had interacted with Russian officials prior to the election.
As NBC News reports, Sessions has agreed to submit amended testimony and respond to senators' questions over his contacts with Russia's ambassador.
Saturday's "SNL" also offered a critique of the muted responses to Trump's actions from prominent Republicans. A trailer for a movie about the one GOP hero who isn't afraid to publicly stand up to Trump left a little to the viewer's imagination.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
"Weekend Update" anchors Michael Che and Colin Jost covered the week's biggest news stories, including one that broke just Saturday morning: President Trump claiming — without providing any evidence — that the Obama administration had wiretapped Trump Tower prior to the election.
A spokeperson for former President Obama refuted that any White House official ever ordered surveillance on a U.S. citizen but did not say whether surveillance of Trump Tower was conducted by legal means.
It was unclear where Trump received the information, but the surveillance allegation was raised Friday in an interview on Fox News and in conservative media reports.
"Weekend Update" also welcomed guests Donald Jr. and Eric Trump (Mikey Day and Alex Moffatt), who were there to address concerns about their father's involvement in the family business interests.
Musical guest Father John Misty performed "Total Entertainment Forever" and "Pure Comedy" from his forthcoming Sub Pop album "Pure Comedy."