Dr. Anthony Fauci Reacts to Brad Pitt's 'SNL' Impersonation of Him

After Brad Pitt delighted Saturday Night Live fans with his impression of Dr. Anthony Fauci over [...]

By Libby Birk

After Brad Pitt delighted Saturday Night Live fans with his impression of Dr. Anthony Fauci over the weekend, the White House's top doctor on the coronavirus task force weighed in on the A-list celebrity's cold open of the comedy sketch show. After all, Fauci had previously told CNN's New Day earlier this month that if he could choose anyone to portray him on SNL, it would "of course" be 56-year-old Pitt.

"I think he did great," a grinning Fauci told a reporter from Telemundo's Un Nuevo Dia on Monday. "I'm a great fan of Brad Pitt and that's the reason why when people ask me who I would like to play me I mention Brad Pitt. He's one of my favorite actors. I think he did a great job." Fauci continued, saying that Pitt showed himself to be a "really classy guy," especially "when at the end [of the cold open] he took off his hair and thanked me and all the health care workers. So, not only is he a really great actor but he is actually a classy person." When asked whether or not any of the things Pitt said during his impersonation had actually crossed his mind, Fauci said, "Everything he said on SNL is what's going on. He did a pretty good job of putting everything together."

During the cold open of SNL's "At Home" special, Pitt delivered, donning a gray wig and glasses before impersonating the doctor, commenting on such things as all the "misinformation out there" about the coronavirus. Pitt's performance also addressed President Donald Trump's comment that the world would have a vaccine for the virus "relatively soon."

"Relatively soon is an interesting phrase," Pitt said as Fauci. "Relative to the entire history of Earth? Sure, the vaccine is going to come real fast. But if you were to tell a friend, 'I'll be over relatively soon,' and then showed up a year and a half later, well, your friend may be relatively pissed off."

The sketch culminated in SNL showing Trump's recent comment about using light to help cure the virus. This prompted Pitt to facepalm, just as Fauci did during one of Trump's press conferences. At the very end, Pitt took off his Fauci wig and thanked the doctor for his calm demeanor during this "unnerving time." He also thanked first responders, health care workers and their families for being on the frontlines during this crisis.

SNL fans were surprised that Fauci's words came to fruition, especially because Pitt does not have a long relationship with the show. Saturday night was his first appearance there since he made a cameo in David Spade's 1998 episode. Incredibly, Pitt has never even hosted.

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