As Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian influence in the 2016 election drew closer to President Donald Trump, "Saturday Night Live" stayed close to the headlines Saturday with a cold open that featured Robert De Niro as the special counsel.
Eric Trump, played by Alex Moffat, was in a children's bed and Donald Trump, Jr., played by Mikey Day, was at his side preparing to read a bedtime story when his younger brother alerted to a sound coming from his closet.
"That’s just the cheap steel dad uses to build his towers," Trump Jr. said.
But it turned out De Niro's Mueller was hiding in the closet.
"It’s just me, Robert Mueller — your dad’s friend from work," he said after Trump Jr. left.
"I'm not allowed to talk to you," Eric said, later adding, "People say you’re the worst thing that ever happened to my dad."
"No Eric," Mueller said, "getting elected president was the worst thing that ever happened to your dad."
Later, "SNL" imagined what it would be like if the producers of Fox's "Empire" made a show about a black President Trump and his African-American family — "Them Trumps."
It ended abruptly. Twice.
"Maybe I did some dirty things, but I’m makin' America great again," said Trump, played by Kenan Thompson. "They can't lock me up. And even though I may be black ... "
He didn't get to finish his sentence before he was taken into custody. "Freeze, Trump, you're under arrest," an agent said.
He returned to claim victory because, Trump said, a sitting president can't be indicted.
"And even though I'm black ...," he said before being cut off again by a man in a suit.
"You've been impeached," the man said.
"Yeah," black Trump said, "I was waiting on that."
The president's troubles with the special counsel were revisited on the "Weekend Update" news segment hosted by Michael Che and Colin Jost.
Jost noted that a person identified as Individual 1 in Mueller's charging document against Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, appeared to be Trump.
"Now we don’t know for sure who Individual 1 is," he said. "Let’s just say things are getting tense right now over at Individual 1 Tower."
Che thought Trump's response to Mueller's forthcoming report on his investigation — releasing a "counter report" — was hilarious.
"Well, you better hurry up buddy because you only get one hour a day on the prison computer," he said.
Jost said it was amazing that outgoing White House Chief of Staff John Kelly served for decades in the military but "he couldn't finish one tour with Donald Trump."
Jost said the retired U.S. Marine Corps general was leaving "because Kelly requires extensive surgery to remove his palm from his face."
The show was hosted by Jason Momoa, who stars in the upcoming movie “Aquaman." Musical guest Mumford & Sons returned for their third appearance on "SNL."
