Elizabeth Warren Joined The ‘SNL’ Cold Open To Talk Post-Primary Life

Elizabeth Warren is no longer running for president of the United States, so she stopped by Saturday Night Live to meet the woman who’s impersonated her while on the campaign trail over the last few months.

Warren, the senator from Massachusetts, appeared on the sketch comedy show’s cold open as part of a Fox News segment starring Kate McKinnon, who played Laura Ingraham. The segment starts with coronavirus and fake interviews with Donald Trump’s sons, who claim “the libs” are using the pandemic to hurt their father.

Newest Fox News anchor Chris Matthews, who in real life abruptly retired from MSNBC in the wake of sexism allegations, joined the show apparently now working for the right-wing network. He called Ingraham “a spooky blonde lady who lies to the elderly,” of which she apparently approved.

“You can say whatever you want, it’s Fox.” McKinnnon’s Ingragam said. The show then turned to a “celebrity interview,” which in this case was the actual Elizabeth Warren, who earlier in the week ended her presidential bid after failing to finish better than third in any of the early primaries.

Warren’s claim to fame was that she “savagely murdered Michael Bloomberg on live television,” as the billionaire also dropped out of the presidential race after Super Tuesday. Asked how she was doing after ending her campaign, Warren seemed to be doing well.

“I’m doing just fine,” Warren said. “My friends and family have been so supportive. They’ve been calling nonstop. Asking ‘Are you OK? Are you electable?'”

SNL then apparently shows footage of Warren debating Bloomberg, which is actually video of Warren’s dog, Bailey, eating a burrito. Asked who Warren was in this case, she stresses that she “was the dog,” which drew cheers from the crowd.

Warren says she’s not endorsing anyone just yet, and stressed that she didn’t take any money from billionaires but “got to give a swirlie to one on live TV.”

The segment ended with McKinnon, who has usually played Warren on SNL, wearing the same outfit as the actual Massachusetts senator, before they gave the “live from New York” intro that kicks off each SNL episode. The behind the scenes of the episode showed them having a lot of fun dressing alike, too.

It was a victory lap of sorts for the progressive candidate from Cambridge whose run for president ended far too soon for many of her supporters, but sets up a fascinating Democratic end game for the nominee for president in the months that follow.