‘SNL’ Viewers Think Steve Martin Dropped F-Bomb During Latest Episode

Steve Martin dropped by the Saturday Night Live cold open this weekend, and many fans thought he dropped the F-bomb, although it turns out he did not.

Martin was the latest celebrity guest to take a role as a Trump administration official this weekend. He played Roger Stone, the long-time adviser of President Donald Trump who was arrested by the FBI this week. In the skit, Stone was a guest on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight, where he told the host — played by Alex Moffat — that he was running out of money to cover his legal fees.

“Haven’t these ridiculous accusations made you poverty-stricken as well?” Carlson asked. “Just tell people how they can donate money to help you.”

“I’ve set up a donation page based on a phrase people [everywhere have been] yelling at me: ‘Hey Roger, go fund yourself!”

Martin took on a very loud, barking voice for his Stone impression, and his sentence got a little garbled — perhaps because he was trying to read his cue cards through his hilarious glasses. The result left many fans thinking that Martin had accidentally uttered a curse word live on air. Once the clip went up online, however, it became clear through repeat listenings that he did not.

The mix-up may have lightened the punch of the joke — suggesting that Stone would never expect to hear people telling him “go f— yourself.” Instead, his selective hearing made him think they were suggesting a viable crowdfunding option.

In general, Martin’s impression was well-received by audiences this weekend. Many huge celebrities have taken on recurring roles in the cold opens as SNL skewers the Trump administration week after week. This includes lauded stars like Robert DeNiro, Ben Stiller, Scarlett Johansson and Melissa McCarthy.

Whether Martin’s role will be a recurring one remains to be seen. Stone was indicted on Friday, and it looks like his trial could play a big role in the political scandals going forward. On the other hand, today’s news cycle moves at such a break-neck pace that it can be hard to predict who will stay relevant. Martin’s last appearance on the show was in December 2017, when he made a cameo during James Franco’s opening monologue.

Saturday Night Live is taking next weekend off, but it returns with a new episode featuring host and musical guest Halsey on Feb. 9 at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.