SUPREME SATIRE
Damon masterfully takes on Kavanaugh in ‘SNL’ season premiere
Republican primaries. After a spoof of Graham’s indignant harangue during Thursday’s hearing, the jowly McKinnon concluded, “This right now, this is my audition for Mr. Trump’s Cabinet, and also a regional production of ‘The Crucible.’ ”
Many of the hearing’s most conspicuous senators were razzed in the sketch, which included Alex Moffat as Chuck Grassley, Cecily Strong as Dianne Feinstein, Beck Bennett as Orrin Hatch and Chris Redd as Cory Booker. Aidy Bryant played Rachel Mitchell, the prosecutor hired as a surrogate for the committee’s Republican senators.
Not depicted and barely even mentioned was Kavanaugh accuser Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, whose role in this week’s saga is not exactly the stuff of comedy. But spectator Alyssa Milano was — a cutout of the actress and #MeToo advocate kept popping up behind the speaker of the moment.
But it was Damon who had the last word, forgoing his water pitcher to heft a can of water and shotgun it, brewski-style, before yelling, “Live from New York, it’s ‘Saturday Night’!”
Kavanaugh also entered into a later sketch depicting a debaucherous ’80s frat party. Though he was never named in the bit, the context was clear as the futures of the young partiers were foretold, and we learned of the careers ruined by the misbehavior of that night.
In the opening credits, the musical guest was introduced as Kanye West, despite the Chicago rapper’s declaration earlier in the day that he henceforth should be called “Ye.” It was the eighth “SNL” appearance for West, a lastminute substitute for Grande, who dropped out this week for “emotional reasons,” “SNL” boss Lorne Michaels said.