‘SNL’: Alec Baldwin Returns as Donald Trump in Impeachment Trial Cold Open

Saturday Night Live might have brought a sports star to host this weekend, but the cold open still [...]

By Daniel S. Levine

Saturday Night Live might have brought a sports star to host this weekend, but the cold open still focused on the political issues of the past week. The sketch brought viewers the Trump impeachment trial "you wish had happened." Kenan Thompson presided over the trial as TV Judge Greg Mathis, pushing Supreme Court Justice John Roberts aside.

"We are calling witnesses, because that's how a damn trial works," Mathis declared, before calling John Bolton in, with Cecily Strong playing Trump's former Chief of Staff.

Since Bolton refused to spoil his book, Hunter Biden, played by Pete Davidson, was brought in. Biden quickly pointed out that President Donald Trump's sons have cashed in on the Trump name before disappearing.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (Beck Bennett) objected to Biden's testimony, suggesting he was bought off. But then McConnell did a pitch for coal. Sen. Lindsay Graham (Kate McKinnon) pitched guns for Super Bowl parties.

Mathis then called Trump (Alec Baldwin) in, with Trump playing a "Weinstein" by showing up with a walker. Amazingly, Mathis got Trump to admit to everything he has done wrong since becoming president. He also celebrated McConnell becoming close to him, leading McConnell to sing a song about how he might have lost all dignity by aligning with Trump.

Mathis found Trump guilty and sentenced him to a $10,000 fine and was forced to say one nice thing about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

"Fine, her body's an 8," Trump said.

On Friday, Senate Republicans voted against allowing witnesses in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, effectively setting up his acquittal. A final vote is scheduled for Wednesday, the day after Trump's State of the Union speech.

Last week's cold open featured the return of former SNL cast member, Jon Lovitz, who stopped by to play attorney Alan Dershowitz, who defended Trump during the trial. In the sketch, Dershowitz was briefly sent to hell because the Devil (Kate McKinnon) is a huge fan and wanted to interview Dershowitz for her podcast.

The sketch also featured host Adam Driver as Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex offender Dershowitz once defended. Bowen Yang played the guy who wrote "Baby Shark" ad Heidi Gardner played Flo from the Progressive commercials. Mr. Peanut could also be found in hell since his "death" and McConnell popped in to use hell as a sauna. Mark Zuckerberg (Alex Moffat) was hell's IT guy.

This week's episode was hosted by Houston Texans star J.J. Watt, with county star Luke Combs as performer. Watt is making his SNL hosting debut.

Next week, the night before the 2020 Oscars, RuPaul's Drag Race host RuPaul is hosting for the first time. Justin Bieber is performing on the show for the first time since 2013.

New episodes of SNL air Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Photo credit: NBC

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