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VOICE OVER: Rebecca Brayton WRITTEN BY: George Pacheco
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the funniest times “Saturday Night Live” got political. We’ll be excluding segments that aired on “Weekend Update,” saving them for a future list. What’s your favorite “SNL” political bit? Let us know in the comments!
#10: “Kavanaugh Hearing Cold Open”
Matt Damon took to the “Saturday Night Live” stage to portray current Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The latter was a nominee at this time in 2018 and faced a four-day committee hearing regarding assault allegations leveled at Kavanaugh by multiple women. Damon’s portrayal of Kavanaugh as an indignant and self-righteous frat boy echoed public perception of the future Justice at this time during the hearings. Additionally, the controversy of Kavanaugh’s nomination was juxtaposed with the rising #MeToo movement, and the “SNL” sketch underlined this with much of Damon’s dialogue and exaggerated mannerisms.
#9: “Ask President Carter”
It isn’t every day that a sitting U.S. president does a call-in show with the people, but “SNL” parodied a real-life example of this back in the 1970s. President Jimmy Carter and journalist Walter Cronkite entertained questions from everyday citizens back on March 5th, 1977, and “SNL” cast member Dan Aykroyd wasted no time in putting his impression of Carter to good use. The “Ask President Carter” sketch underlined how many on the political left (including the “SNL” writers) felt that this commander-in-chief, unlike perhaps any other, “understood” the counterculture. Aykroyd nails the former President’s genteel demeanor, and the vocal delivery feels parodic, but not mean-spirited. It’s great stuff.
#8: “Nixon’s Final Days”
The disgraced presidency of Richard Milhous Nixon was sufficiently roasted over the coals during the ‘70s run of “Saturday Night Live.” Dan Aykroyd as Nixon selling a tell-all book was a good one, as was this sketch from 1976. “Nixon’s Final Days” sees the exiting commander-in-chief meeting with his wife, the Eisenhowers, and Henry Kissinger, while also opining about his situation to a portrait of Abraham Lincoln. The sketch mimicked real-life reports from journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein about Nixon’s actual behavior during his last days in the White House. It’s a spot-on satirization of a challenging time in American history.
#7: “President Bill Clinton at McDonald’s”
Everybody has their favorite “SNL” political impression. The much-missed Phil Hartman was actually great at impersonating a number of U.S. presidents, but it’s his take on Bill Clinton that perhaps helped cement his career. Hartman may not have had that lip bite on lock the way Darrell Hammond used to do with his impression, but the former’s “everyman” persona is note-perfect. The comedian also nailed Clinton’s reported lasciviousness, as well as his well-documented hankering for fast food. The image of Hartman’s Clinton meandering through a hometown diner, munching on food and making conversation eventually became the stuff of “SNL” legend.
#6: “Voters For Trump Ad”
The heart is occasionally left on the sleeves of the “SNL” writer’s room when it comes to some political sketches. This is certainly the case with the “Voters For Trump” sketch, which contains a very deliberate, bait-and-switch attack. The skit initially parodies typical political ads that highlight very broad stereotypes of “average.” Average American voters with average American goals vote in an average American election. The proverbial curtain is then lifted, as the “average Americans” in question actually turn out to be sourced from dangerous fringe groups like the Ku Klux Klan. “Voters For Trump” leaves absolutely no question as to its goal, in this regard.
#5: “Bern Your Enthusiasm”
There’s probably a large cross-section of “SNL” viewers that are still bummed out that Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders didn’t win the 2020 U.S. presidential election, simply for the fact that we missed out on more Larry David. The writer and actor’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” persona melds together perfectly with this exaggerated take on Sanders. The sketches even lean into the penchant of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” to dwell upon humor that’s often dark and cringe-worthy. It’s a perfect symbiosis of performer and material that made this political sketch one for the ages.
#4: “President Reagan, Mastermind”
The context of the Iran-Contra scandal that took place back during President Ronald Reagan’s U.S. presidency isn’t really necessary in order to appreciate “President Reagan, Mastermind.” The joke is crystal clear: a savage juxtaposition of the differences between President Reagan’s public and private personas. Phil Hartman masters both the “befuddled grandpa” Reagan and the “devious mastermind” Reagan with his killer performance. The laser-focused Hartman is homed into Reagan’s reputation as a careless cowboy, while his kinder, gentler doppelganger feels even more disingenuous and evil, by comparison. It’s honestly kind of scary, albeit in the best possible way.
#3: “Sean Spicer Press Conference”
Not every “SNL” political moment needs to be doom and gloom, or a savage commentary. Sometimes, it’s just enough for an “SNL” political skit to be funny. There’s not too much harm done when it comes to Melissa McCarthy’s broad take on former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. It’s a very physical performance that relies on physicality, prosthetics, and a mobilized podium to get the most out of its premise. Spicer’s reputation for being adversarial comes to the forefront with McCarthy’s impersonation, while the comedienne’s fearlessness and lack of vanity absolutely assist with this sketch’s levels of sublime ridiculousness.
#2: “First Presidential Debate: Al Gore and George W. Bush”
Every “SNL” fan loves a good political debate sketch. There have been some truly great ones over the years, too, such as Jon Lovitz’s memorable turn as one-time candidate Mike Dukakis during the “Campaign ‘88” sketch. Perhaps even more classic, however, was Will Ferrell’s take on former president George W. Bush, as he debated Vice President Al Gore. The former’s squinty-eyed take on “Dubya” quickly became something of a modern classic, as did the word, “strategery.” Beyond this, Darrell Hammond’s work as the straight man allows Ferrell to run off the rails with his impersonation of a laughing, clueless idiot. The combination of both comedians working together makes some once-in-a-lifetime magic.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
“The Real World with Bob Dole”
Norm Macdonald Does an Impression for the Ages
“United We Stand America”
Dana Carvey Nails the One-Time Third Party Candidate
“Debate ‘76”
An Early Example of “SNL’s” Political Poison Pen
“The Rock Obama: Health Care Gridlock”
You Wouldn’t Like the President When He’s Angry
“Jeff Sessions Gump”
Kate McKinnon Brings It in This Sketch
#1: “Sarah Palin and Hillary Address the Nation”
Here’s a question: what do you think of when the phrase “classic ‘SNL’ political parody” comes to mind? You’re probably imagining the same thing we are: that infamous duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton. The former in particular became famous for her impression of Palin, but the truth is that both women work from each others’ strengths in a marvelous way. Sure, the sketches might have only worked with one and not the other, such as with Fey’s interview segment sketch alongside “Katie Couric.” Yet, Fey’s vocal inflections and the looks that Poehler gives the audience just make this pairing work like gangbusters each and every time we watch them on stage.
