White House Spokesperson Slams ‘Saturday Night Live,’ Calls Season Premiere a “Waste of Time”
NBC’s long-running sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live kicked off its 51st season this weekend, but not everyone was laughing, especially at the White House.
A spokesperson for the Biden administration brushed off the show entirely, comparing watching it to “watching paint dry.”
Keep reading for more details!
A Familiar Face Returns as Trump
The season premiere opened with cast member James Austin Johnson once again slipping into his spot-on impression of President Donald Trump.
During the cold open, Johnson’s Trump interrupted the show’s mock political coverage, claiming he was simply keeping tabs on the late-night favorite.
“I’m just here keeping my eye on SNL. Making sure they don’t do anything too mean about me,” he quipped.
The bit continued with another one-liner that had audiences buzzing online: “But they better be on their best behavior, otherwise they’re going to have to answer to my attack dog at the FCC, Brendan Carr.”
Johnson’s Trump wrapped up the opening sketch with a tongue-in-cheek warning to the cast and writers, saying “Daddy’s watching.”
White House Fires Back
While the cold open took jabs at Trump, the Biden administration didn’t seem amused either.
When asked for comment by Entertainment Weekly, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson took the opportunity to deliver a sharp critique of the show’s relevance.
“Reacting to this would require me to waste my time watching it,” Jackson said. “And like the millions of Americans who have tuned out from SNL, I have more entertaining things to do, like watch paint dry.”
Her statement instantly circulated across social media, sparking debate over whether the White House should be responding to satirical television in the first place. Some critics said the remark came off dismissive, while others praised Jackson for not taking the show too seriously.
A Political Subtext Behind the Sketch
The premiere sketch seemed to reference more than just Trump’s media presence.
It also nodded to recent late-night controversies, including ABC’s temporary suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! following the host’s comments about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who was mentioned in the SNL sketch, had made headlines himself for issuing a thinly veiled warning against Kimmel’s show prior to its brief suspension. The ABC late-night series was restored less than a week later.
By invoking Carr and poking fun at Trump’s influence over media narratives, SNL seemed to be highlighting the uneasy relationship between politics, entertainment, and censorship, a theme the show has leaned into for decades.
‘SNL’ and Politics: A Love-Hate Relationship
Since its debut in 1975, Saturday Night Live has built a reputation for lampooning political figures across the aisle.
Presidents from Gerald Ford to Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden have all been regular targets of its satire.
In recent years, however, the show’s political sketches have drawn polarized reactions. Conservatives have accused SNL of leaning too far left, while some progressives say its jokes have lost their punch. The show’s ratings have also fluctuated, with many viewers expressing fatigue over recurring political parodies.
Despite this, the Trump era brought renewed attention, and sometimes, controversy to the program. Alec Baldwin’s viral portrayal of Trump during the 2016 and 2020 election cycles became a cultural moment, though Trump himself often slammed SNL on social media, calling it “unfunny” and “a total hit job.”
A Shift in Public Interest
Jackson’s jab that “millions of Americans have tuned out” may have some truth behind it.
Viewership for SNL has dipped in recent years, with many younger audiences shifting toward online sketch content and political commentary on platforms like TikTok and YouTube.
Still, the show remains a pop culture institution — one that continues to court controversy and conversation with every season opener. Whether the jokes land or not, SNL knows how to get people talking, and this latest exchange between the show and the White House proves that even after half a century, its cultural relevance still stirs debate.
What’s Next for ‘SNL’?
As the 51st season unfolds, SNL is expected to continue tackling political material in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.
Whether its humor resonates with audiences or turns them off may depend on how the show balances satire with originality.
For now, though, the White House seems uninterested in tuning in. Abigail Jackson’s dry remark summed up the administration’s stance perfectly, that late-night political humor might simply not be worth the time.
But as history has shown, few things fuel Saturday Night Live like criticism from powerful figures. If anything, the White House’s comments may only give the writers more material for their next cold open.
Summary
- SNL opened its 51st season with James Austin Johnson returning as Donald Trump.
- White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson called the show “a waste of time.”
- The sketch referenced Trump, FCC Chair Brendan Carr, and Jimmy Kimmel’s controversy.
- SNL continues to draw political attention and cultural debate.
