Internet creator Druski made franchise history by hosting Saturday Night Live alongside musical guest The Strokes on Nov. 7, while Texas senator-elect James Talarico made a surprise cameo in a post-election cold open.
Four days after the midterms, the late-night sketch comedy institution opened its episode at Democratic headquarters, where party leaders Hakeem Jeffries, portrayed by Kenan Thompson, and Chuck Schumer, played by Sarah Sherman, celebrated their party’s victories, The Guardian reported.
Their toast was interrupted by Donald Trump, played by James Austin Johnson, who lamented having to work with millennial Democrats and discussed the show New Girl. The Guardian noted that the president accepted the midterm results, remarking that it was “scarier in a way.”
The Bottom Line on the Post-Election Broadcast
- Texas senator-elect James Talarico crashed the cold open to mock the frequency of the show’s Trump sketches.
- Comedian Druski hosted the November 7 broadcast, becoming the first digital content creator to lead the late-night series.
- Musical guest The Strokes performed twice, with actor Walton Goggins joining them on bongos and backing vocals during their second set.
Texas Senator-Elect Talarico Crashes the Cold Open
The political sketch featured brief appearances by a defeated JD Vance, played by Jeremy Culhane, and an aggressive Pete Hegseth, played by Colin Jost, according to The Guardian. The interruption took a turn when Texas senator-elect James Talarico appeared on stage, poking fun at the program’s recurring political impersonations.
As reported by UA.News, Talarico joked about viewers’ desires for changes in the show’s cold opens and mentioned his campaign text messages asking for five-dollar donations. Yahoo noted that Talarico helped turn Texas blue in the recent elections, leading by about 12 percentage points with over 95 percent of ballots counted.
Talarico expressed a willingness to work with the president on key issues, a sentiment mirrored in his actual campaign where he spoke about expanding health care access and building housing. Despite the Democratic victories, The Guardian reported that the show’s treatment of the political shakeup felt muted, questioning why the sketch institution did not more deeply address the collapse of the MAGA movement.
Druski Becomes the First Digital Creator to Host
Druski hosted the November 7 episode, the first digital content creator from YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to host the program, according to Yahoo. During his opening monologue, he addressed his viral style of comedy and was joined on stage by Emma Stone, with whom he recently filmed a movie.
The Guardian reported that while Druski showcased high energy, sketches like a cellphone store sketch highlighted the challenges of translating internet comedy to a live sketch stage.
The episode also featured pre-taped segments, including Dru Can See Everything, a parody of A24 documentaries where Druski moved in with Elizabeth Holmes, played by Jane Wickline, and Billy Evans, played by Ben Marshall. In this segment, Druski donned white lady makeup to portray Holmes, crossing a traditional network boundary.
Colin Jost Reports on Midterm Results and Elon Musk Parody
During the Weekend Update segment, Colin Jost reported on the midterm results and White House staffing changes before welcoming Elon Musk, played by Jeremy Culhane. The parody highlighted Musk’s difficult week, including millions spent backing Republican candidates that yielded no results, plunging Tesla stock prices, and poor sales.
Culhane’s impersonation captured Musk’s vocal tics and flailing attempts to be funny, culminating in an appearance by his own Grok AI bot, which delivered sharp insults. The segment also featured returning guests Two People Who Just Hooked Up, played by Andrew Dismukes and Ashley Padilla, discussing the midterm results through the lens of their latest romantic tryst.
| Segment | Key Performers | Notable Guest Appearances |
|---|---|---|
| Cold Open | Kenan Thompson, Sarah Sherman, James Austin Johnson | James Talarico, Jeremy Culhane, Colin Jost |
| Monologue | Druski | Emma Stone |
| Weekend Update | Colin Jost, Jeremy Culhane | Andrew Dismukes, Ashley Padilla |
| Musical Performance | The Strokes | Walton Goggins |
Later in the night, musical guest The Strokes performed their second song with actor Walton Goggins joining on bongos and backing vocals, while the episode closed with an appearance by Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle during the curtain call. The Guardian observed that while Druski outshone several earlier hosts of the season, the broadcast struggled to capture the historic magnitude of the midterm political shifts.
