Hosted by John Mulaney with musical guest Chappell Roan

Ahoy Coneheads! To fill the gap that was missing last weekend Saturday Night LiveI participated in the Zoom series Democracy '24 Town Halls: America at a Crossroads on Sunday evening at the former SNL Writer Jim Downey joined MSNBC host and Harvard Lampoon alum Lawrence O'Donnell to reminisce about his many iconic political skits on the show and reflect on the state of comedy during the current election cycle. It was a reminder of how deep the show's political influence actually runs – dating back to the 1976 election SNLPresident Gerald Ford's portrayal contributed in part to his defeat by Jimmy Carter.

Tonight, days before the 2024 presidential election, the show has one final opportunity to shape the discourse surrounding Kamala Harris (who made a last-minute pit stop in NYC today, dot dot dot) and, yes, Donald Trump. Today's episode is hosted by Five-Timers Club member John Mulaney, whose “Horse in the Hospital” segment on Trump is a definitive commentary that attempts to explain the surreal moment we find ourselves in.

Mulaney is having a great 2024. John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in LA streaming live on Netflix in May and beyond SNL The author has been hired to host a new live variety talk show for the streamer. A few weeks ago it was announced that Mulaney would be returning to Broadway with the Simon Rich play All In: Comedy about love, alongside Fred Armisen and Chloe Fineman.

It is SNL in review: 50th Anniversary Season Recap. Buckle up – the next few hours/days/weeks could be bumpy. In the meantime, let’s enjoy today’s episode.

Check back for live updates during today's show!

Opened cold

Chloe Fineman is back in the role of CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins and cuts in between the two candidates' rallies. This format allows us to jump to James Austin Johnson's rambling, masculine Donald Trump. “Where the hell am I, this place stinks,” he complains. He is exhausted. “Nobody cares,” he hisses before inviting JD Vance (Bowen Yang) onto the stage. In an interesting edit for SNLKamala Harris (Maya Rudolph) interrupts the rally she was watching on television. She personally texted every voter in America. Her husband Doug Emhoff (Andy Samberg) plans to sue the show Doug for taking on his name and image.

Dana Carvey enters the chat as President Joe Biden. Former SNL Actor Siobhan Fallon Hogan starred in the series when the comic dominated with his iconic George Bush impression. She remembers Weekly entertainment: “Carvey is not only an absolute genius, but also a fantastic guy who has been very supportive and encouraging to me and the entire cast. He is one of a kind and his talent is insane – so specific and precise!”

Rudolph's Kamala is finally alone – and wants to chat with someone who has been in her situation. Then we got it: Duel with Kamalas! The real candidate is here! They address the candidate's laughter and some of his other tics. “Keep calm – ala/Kamala and carry on – ala!” This isn't Obama's visit to the Clinton Halloween party, but it's still fun.

“I will vote for it us!” says Rudolph proudly, before the real VPOTUS jokingly asks if she is a registered voter in Pennsylvania.

monologue

Mulaney is hosting again for the sixth time. He states that he has a five-week-old daughter and a 34-inch-tall two-year-old. Everyone in his house is small. He wonders when his parents, i.e. grandparents, will be old Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It sounds like he will need hip replacement surgery at some point. He talks about his grandfather, who grew up more than 100 years ago on a dairy farm in Wisconsin and in large Catholic families. He was too old to even fight in World War II. A very solid Mulaney monologue, decidedly apolitical – at least as far as Tuesday's commentary is concerned.

What's That Name: Election Edition

Election edition! The game show participants are Ben and Margaret Atwood (Sarah Sherman). First answers are Jack Smith and Doug Emhoff. Mulaney's Ben nails both because this is the most important election of our lives. Democracy is at stake! In another surprise appearance, Hillary Clinton's running mate appears and asks Mulaney to remember his name. In 2016, Mulaney also claimed that democracy was at stake, so he certainly knows his name. Yes? No. (It's Tim Kaine.) Michael Longfellow takes over for Bill Hader here – big deal! That's fun, I'm not sure he captures the same indifferent malevolence.

“Beppo”

NASA celebrates the completion of its first orbit of the Earth with a chimpanzee, Beppo. The champagne is popped when there is a problem in space. The ship has lost control and there is no way to bring Beppo home. Reluctantly, technician Mulaney has to break the news to the chimpanzee – he's trying to convey the concept of death in simple terms. Filmmaker Dan Bulla plays with classic mid-20th century American patriotism and lands a happy ending. In a funny reference. Ego Nwodim Channels Hidden figuresa film about African American women who worked in the early years of the American space program.

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“Port Authority Duane Reade”

It's Port Authority Duane Reade and two young travelers planning to board a bus to Boston, a trip I've made many times. Pete Davidson is back and wearing an excellent Rodney Dangerfield shirt. He wants milk – and thus triggers a Broadway medley. So it's the now obligatory musical homage to Mulaney, this time complete Lion King-inspired possum breast milk jokes. Marcello Hernández plays Shampoo and parodies “Do-Re-Mi”. The sound of the music. Chloe Fineman leads a choir of Timothée Chalamet lookalikes and Devon Walker returns as Mayor Eric Adams, dressed as Aladdin. Samberg raps as the bear RFK Jr. leaves Central Park, reminiscent of Lin-Manuel Miranda, before a grand finale begins Fat. There you have it, a theater kid's dream!

Chappell Roan performs “Pink Pony Club”

This song is about a girl from a small town in Tennessee who dreams of the gay and drag culture in West Hollywood. She dreams of becoming a dancer at the Pink Pony Club, a fictional queer bar on Santa Monica Boulevard – something her mother wouldn't be proud of. I love the story and the synthesizer – extremely catchy. “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!” she shouts at the end.

The song had a long life – it was first released as a single The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess back in 2020! Roan recently shared a throwback on Facebook from 2011, posted under her birth name, Kayleigh Amstutz. “I’m determined to be on SNL,” she wrote. Fun fact! Three weeks ago, Roan was also the subject of a “Weekend Update” post by Bowen Yang, in which he referenced some of the singer's public statements about his feelings of being overwhelmed as part of his baby hippo, Moo Deng.

“Weekend Update”

The election will decide whether SNL Cast and crew are being vetted! Our moderators focus on both candidates' closing arguments and the wild week. Celebrities do their best to support their preferred candidate.

Heidi Gardner comes out as undecided Reba McEntire. She is folksy and cares about “Team Reba.” The voice. True Conehead fans remember that in 2009, Andy Samberg sang a very raunchy techno-rap ballad about his love Reba McEntire (played, so to speak, by Kenan Thompson).

Lots of unlikely couples are popping up these days. Commentary: the gregarious, loud Grant (Hernandez) and his mouse-like girlfriend Alyssa (Jane Wickline). How did they meet? She watched Steven Universe on her cell phone in the club.

“Little Richard”

Yang interviews PBS host Jay Paultodd (Mulaney), the creator of a '90s sitcom called ” Family tiesa start Full house. They rewatch an episode with Little Richard (Thompson), whom Paultodd met at a swingers club. (And yes, Little Richard actually continued Full house!) I guess the joke is how distraught Richard was off-screen – and on. There's probably some truth to that! Paultodd is like Vin Di Bona meets Jeff Franklin. Interesting to see Thompson in this role. Of course, Little Richard Simmons comes to mind – but Damon Wayans also played the flamboyant rock 'n' roll icon in the mid-80s.

Chappell Roan debuts “The Giver”

A fun lesbian ballad with a country theme! Roan recently posted a carousel of Polaroid photos with the phrase “She Gets the Job Done” written on it and “That's a clue” written in the caption.

“New York City Council Campaign”

The New York City Council candidate faces the elephant in the room: His name is Harvey Epstein: a cross between two notorious sex offenders. The state representative (Mulaney) spends his time in the commercial correcting common misconceptions about his record.

Final thoughts

• Fun! There's a lot to like tonight – brilliant short film from Dan Bulla. What did you think? Vote, my friends!

• RIP three-time host Teri Garr, who died earlier this week at age 79.
• “Senator Pete Davidson” has a nice ring to it.
• Many thanks to Siobhan Fallon Hogan. FYI: She shares, “My piece Mother's farewell – a comedy about my Irish family and how we looked after my mother on her last day – will be Off Broadway next fall 2025.”