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Saturday Night Live capitalized on recent headlines with a cold open that drew inspiration from a major national security faux pas involving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who reportedly shared sensitive military plans in an unsecured group chat on Signal.
In a revealing article by The Atlantic‘s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, it was disclosed that he was inadvertently included in a conversation where Hegseth divulged detailed information about weapons systems, targets, and timelines for a planned military strike against Houthi forces in Yemen.
Such embarrassing breaches of security often provide rich material for satirical commentary, making it a fitting theme for SNL. Below are some highlights from the March 29 episode.
Cold Open Features Hegseth Disrupting Teen Chat
The episode’s cold open began with a group of teenagers, portrayed by cast members Mikey Madison, Sarah Sherman, and Ego Nwodim, as they text about trends like pick-me girls and their self-image. Suddenly, Hegseth, played by Andrew Dismukes, interrupts their conversation with a startling message.
“FYI — Green light on Yemen raid!” he types. “Tomahawks airborne 15 minutes ago. Who’s ready to glass some Houthi rebels? Flag emoji, flag emoji, flag emoji, flag emoji, flag emoji, fire emoji, eggplant.”
The group’s chat escalates further when Vice President JD Vance, played by Bowen Yang, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, portrayed by Marcello Hernández, join the discussion, revealing unexpected connections to the social dynamics of the teen group.
“Weekend Update” Takes Aim at Will Smith
In this week’s “Weekend Update” segment, the focus shifted to Will Smith, whose latest album Based on a True Story received lackluster reviews. Michael Che quipped about the album’s failure, stating, “Will Smith has released his first new album in 20 years, and ironically, the album doesn’t slap.”
Jury Selection Gets a Comedic Twist
The “Jury Duty” sketch offered a humorous take on the jury selection process, led by Nwodim as the judge struggling to recruit qualified jurors. The potential jurors who showed up included an array of quirky characters, each with bizarre claims to fame.
Madison’s character boasted a flimsy link to the Kardashians, while James Austin Johnson portrayed a prankster impersonating Jay-Z. Yang appeared as a self-proclaimed time traveler, and Heidi Gardner’s character expressed her desire to woo the trial’s suspect by sending provocative photos. Chloe Fineman impressed with her impersonation of Parker Posey, and Hernández made a memorable entrance as a whimsical version of musician Benson Boone.
Mikey Madison Embraces Squidward Vibes
In a comedic digital short from Please Don’t Destroy, Madison surprised her co-stars Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy by arriving at their brainstorming session dressed as Squidward from SpongeBob SquarePants. She proposed a gritty HBO-style drama that reimagines the SpongeBob characters as a group of young adults navigating their twenties, ultimately leading to hilarious scenarios.
Saturday Night Live, Saturdays, 11:30/10:30c, NBC
Source
www.tvinsider.com