Dave Chappelle returned to host Saturday Night Live for the first time since 2020, and his monologue was a lively commentary on recent events. Chappelle started by joking about the Los Angeles wildfires, which he said had affected many of his friends and colleagues, including actors Cary Elwes and Dennis Quaid.
He also addressed a false claim made by Donald Trump during his campaign that Haitian immigrants were eating their neighbors’ pets in Springfield, Ohio. Chappelle disputed this claim, explaining that the Haitian immigrants who arrived in Ohio legally had “saved many companies” by doing jobs that whites weren’t willing to do.
In a nod to Jimmy Carter’s recent passing, Chappelle recalled his own visit to the Middle East while promoting his book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. He noted how Carter was able to walk freely with thousands of Palestinians cheering him on, saying he felt “proud” of the former president.
Chappelle also used his platform to urge Trump to be more compassionate and empathetic, particularly when it comes to displaced people. He concluded by wishing Trump luck in his presidency, encouraging all Americans to do better next time.
During the show’s cold open, a parody sketch featured MSNBC roundtable host Rachel Maddow being interrupted by breaking news stories about the incoming Trump administration. Another sketch introduced Bowen Yang as Trump’s new Secretary of Fact Checking.
Weekend Update jokes focused on Trump’s return to the presidency and Joe Biden’s impending departure from office. Anchor Colin Jost riffed on Trump’s inaugural portrait, while Michael Che continued to mock Trump’s inauguration ceremony being moved indoors due to security concerns.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/19/arts/television/arts-television-saturday-night-live-recap.html