The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
‘SNL’ avoids politics in its cold open, going after the Super Bowl instead
“Saturday Night Live” steered almost completely clear of politics in its cold open this week, opting instead to spoof the cultural display that is the Super Bowl on the eve of the Big Game.
Kenan Thompson played veteran sportscaster James “No, not that one” Brown on an NFL panel show featuring several former NFL players-turned-commentators: Boomer Esiason (Beck Bennett), retired Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher (Alex Moffat), Nate Burleson (Chris Redd) and Phil Simms (Mikey Day), who quipped “Do we need this many hosts?”
In addition to taking obvious jabs at sports commentating, the sketch parodied Super Bowl commercials that go to awkward lengths to address social issues (”We must always strive for equality, and we must always reach for Cheez-Its,” one spoof cracked) and the National Football League’s efforts to protect players and fans from covid-19.
“The NFL is incredibly careful and if you test positive, they will ask you to cover your mouth with a play chart,” Moffat’s Cowher volunteered, holding one such chart in front of his face.
The sketch stood in striking contrast to the cold opens “SNL” typically aired during the previous administration, which the comedy show often mocked through Alec Baldwin’s impersonation of then-president Donald Trump. The show’s satire was a big ratings draw and often drew Trump’s ire, but two episodes into the new year - and a new administration - the show appears to be going in a different direction.
“SNL’s” final episode of 2020 introduced Moffat as the show’s new Biden impersonator, following a brief and divisive stint by comedian Jim Carrey. But the “SNL” cast member has yet to reprise his role since Biden took office last month.
Last week’s cold open featured Kate McKinnon as herself, hosting a show that evaluated what still worked (or, more to the point, did not) in American society. While that sketch took on some political themes — mocking Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s role in the House despite her support of conspiracy theories and history of racist and anti-Semitic remarks - it did not directly mention Biden at all; Moffat appeared as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.