“Saturday Night Live” marked the November election with a smirking kiss of President Donald Trump’s ring, but it returned to more stinging satire Saturday night with a history lesson.
The show enlisted Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda to reprise his role in “Hamilton” as a rapping founding father, except this time Miranda was shut down by James Austin Johnson’s peacocking, meandering Trump.
Miranda’s Alexander Hamilton joined a cast of colonial characters in wigs for the cold open.
“What matters is the nation we build,” he said. “Because in America, all men are created equal. America, not England. We’re doing the sequel. And we will have leaders, but no one thing. In America we will never have a king.”
Johnson’s Trump interrupted and took over.
“Never say never,” he said, adding: “Kidding of course, though many ways I’m not. I’m in my king era.”
He spoke of Trump’s effort to end diversity, equity and inclusion roles in the federal government.
“DEI is over. It’s dead,” he said.
He shifted multiple times to different subjects, eventually landing on his inauguration, which he described as “a tremendous success.”
“It was inside due to cold and fear,” he said. “But we had a lot of surprise guests. Like Melania. That was nice.”
Johnson’s Trump shouted out the billionaires in attendance.
“Zuck. Bezos. Tim Apple. And of course, Elon,” he said. “We love Elon. But to quote some of his own children, I do not want him in my life.”
Trump then began to focus increasingly on Miranda, who was holding his position in the shadows.
Pointing his thumb in the direction of the colonial characters, Trump said, “What a weird way to dress, right? A little zesty.”
Later, he noted Miranda’s frozen stance onstage.
“Oh, look at Lin,” he said. “Look at how bad he wants to do a rap. ... He doesn’t get to do it. Oh, the audience would have eaten that up.”
Trump continued by focusing on Miranda’s awards shelf. Miranda — an Emmy, Grammy and Tony-winner — is an Oscar short of joining an exclusive group of EGOT winners who have at least one of each.
“He’s in sniffing distance of an EGOT and he’s got to stand there until I’m done,” Trump said, trying to get Miranda to crack and, in the end, doing so. “Lindy, Lindy, Lindy, Lindy. ... Lin-Manuel Miranda Cosgrove. There he is.”
Timothée Chalamet, who was nominated for an Oscar 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.
