“Saturday Night Live” marked the November election with a smiling kiss on President Donald Trump’s ring, but on Saturday night it returned to more biting satire with a history lesson.
The show recruited Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda to reprise his role in “Hamilton” as a founding father of rap, except this time Miranda was shut down by James Austin Johnson’s creepy, meandering Trump.
Miranda’s Hamilton joined a cast of colonial characters in cold weather wigs.
“What matters is the nation we build,” he said. “Because in America all men are created equal. America, not England. We’re making the sequel. And we’ll have leaders, but nothing. In America we’ll never have a king.”
Johnson’s Trump interrupted and took over.
“Never say never,” he said, adding, “Just kidding, of course, although in many ways I’m not. I’m in my kingly era.”
He discussed Trump’s effort to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) functions in the federal government.
“The DEI is over, it’s dead,” he said.
He changed several times to different times and finally arrived at his inauguration, which he described as “a tremendous success.”
“I was inside because of the cold and fear,” he said. “But we had a lot of surprise guests. Like Melania. That was nice.”
Johnson’s Trump shouted at the billionaires present.
“Zuck. Bezos. Tim Apple. And, of course, Elon,” he said. “We love Elon. But, to quote some of his own children, I don’t want him in my life.”
Trump then began to focus increasingly on Miranda, who kept her position in the shadows.
Pointing his thumb in the direction of the colonial characters, Trump said: “What a strange way to dress, right? A little spicy.”
Later, he noticed Miranda’s frozen posture on stage.
“Oh, look at Lin,” he said. “Look how much he wants to rap… He can’t do it. Oh, the crowd would have eaten it up.”
Trump continued to focus on Miranda’s awards rack. An Emmy, Grammy and Tony winner, Miranda is one Oscar away from joining an exclusive group of EGOT winners who have at least one of each.
“He’s within reach of an EGOT and he has to stay there until I’m done,” Trump said, trying to get Miranda to break down and, in the end, succeeding. “Lindy, Lindy, Lindy, Lindy… Lin-Manuel Miranda Cosgrove. There he is.”
Timothée Chalamet, Oscar-nominated for his role as Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown,” was the host and musical guest. Chalamet performed several Dylan songs.
“SNL” airs on NBC, a division of NBCUniversal, which is also the parent company of NBC News.
