De Niro’s Mueller joins ‘SNL’s’ Eric and Donald Trump Jr. for a bedtime horror
Unlike recent opens that took on hyper-specific news events, this one focused mostly on the broader issue of the ongoing investigation by Robert Mueller III.
“SATURDAY Night Live” continued its satirical onslaught against the Trump administration with its cold open on this week’s show, which imagined a horrific bedtime tale for Trump’s sons.
The bumbling duo of Eric and Donald Jr., played by Alex Moffat and Mikey Day, has been a favourite of the show for some time now.
Unlike recent opens that took on hyper- specific news events, this one focused mostly on the broader issue of the ongoing investigation by Robert Mueller III.
It opens in Trump Tower, with Moffat’s Eric in a child’s bed, covered in a planes-trainsandautomobiles sheet and clutching a plush shark. On the nightstands next to him are a stuffed tiger and children’s novelty lamps. In a clever piece of set design, hanging above him is a portrait of Alec Baldwin’s version of Trump, pursed lips and all.
The premise is that Mueller is closing in.
“Eric?” asks Day’s Trump Jr. as he strolls into the room. “What are you doing awake? It’s past your bedtime.”
“Don, I’m scared. I think there’s a boogeyman in the closet,” the normally clueless Eric responds, for once showing a bit of awareness. But the show’s Trump Jr. ignores him.
“Eric, there’s no boogeyman in your closet. Have you been watching the news again?” the show’s Trump Jr. tells Eric, as the younger son clings to that stuffed shark for dear life.
It eventually comes out that Eric is worried because he heard on the news that Trump Jr. might be indicted. His older brother laughs at the notion, generally just being impressed that Eric knows what the world ‘indicted’ means. Naturally, he isn’t actually familiar with the word.
“Indict. There’s no sugar indict Coke,” Eric says, mistaking the world “indict” for “in diet.”
Trump Jr. then tries distracting his brother by reading “The Night Before Christmas,” which proves confusing for the young man. Throughout, Eric won’t let go of the idea that there’s a monster in his closet.
To prove him wrong, the show’s Trump Jr. opens the door. He doesn’t look in, merely telling Eric that nobody is in the closet.
But Robert De Niro’s Mueller is standing there, out of Trump Jr.’s eyesight, staring at Eric and making the same threatening “I’m watching you” gesture that the actor does in “Meet the Parents.”
Finally, “SNL’s” Trump Jr. leaves, and the show’s Mueller confronts Eric, toying with him. Eventually he says, “America is going to be just fi ne. This is a country full of good people.”
“Yeah, good people, like my dad,” “SNL’s” Eric responds.
“Let’s put a pin in that,” says the show’s Mueller.
The blows don’t stop there. Later in the sketch, the show’s Eric says, “Mr. Mueller, people say you’re the worst thing to ever happen to my dad.”
“Nooooooo, Eric,” “SNL’s” Mueller responds. “Getting elected president was the worst thing that ever happened to your dad.” — WP-Bloomberg