White House Fires Back at ‘SNL’ Cold Open Mocking Trump and FCC Chair Brendan Carr: ‘I’d Rather Watch Paint Dry!’

A White House spokeswoman recently reacted to the Season 51 premiere of “Saturday Night Live” (SNL). The show kicked off with a cold open that poked fun at Donald Trump and FCC chair Brendan Carr for their crackdown on late-night comedy.

Abigail Jackson, the spokeswoman, emailed Entertainment Weekly, saying, “Reacting to this would require me to waste my time watching it. Like many Americans, I have more entertaining things to do—like watching paint dry.”

In the cold open, James Austin Johnson portrayed Trump, interrupting Colin Jost’s character, Pete Hegseth. Johnson’s Trump warned SNL not to be too harsh. He joked about the show’s recent changes, noting, “SNL 51 off to a rough start: 17 new cast members, and they got the ‘Update’ guy doing the open.”

He also joked about Carr, saying that if SNL misbehaved, they would face “the wrath of my attack dog at the FCC, Brandon Carr.” Mikey Day, as Carr, danced into the scene to the tune of Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me,” correcting Johnson’s Trump on the pronunciation of his name. “It’s actually Brendan, sir,” he said, to which Johnson’s Trump replied, “It’s crazy you think I care. Bye!”

The skit ended with a playful warning from Trump: “Remember: Daddy’s watching.”

Since joining the SNL cast in 2021, Johnson has been the go-to impersonator for Trump, adding a fresh take on the political landscape.

This opening reflects how comedy serves as a barometer for political sentiment. Recent studies show that a significant number of Americans engage with political content through humor, with around 60% of adults saying they find political satire a source of comfort amidst current events. Social media reactions to the skit indicate both laughs and criticism, highlighting how humor allows audiences to engage with serious topics.

You can watch the full cold open here: Watch SNL’s Cold Open.

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Brendan Carr,Donald Trump,Saturday Night Live