A lot happened last week, as it does seemingly every week, and a good amount of the more earth-quaking news was crammed into what should have been a lazy Friday. Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted. The Build Back Better bill passed the House (after a bonkers eight-hour filibuster from Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy). President Biden underwent a colonoscopy, meaning America technically, temporarily had its first female president. And that meant SNL‘s Weekend Update had a lot to joke about this week, some of it grimly.
Michael Che tackled the Rittenhouse verdict. “Hopefully, he got all that shooting out of his system before he becomes a cop,” Che quipped, to a shocked response. The co-anchor also noted the protests that have erupted nationwide. Che called those partaking “brave,” because “Rittenhouse just got off for shooting protesters.” He added, “I don’t know, maybe don’t tempt him?”
Colin Jost then pivoted to troubled Florida representative Matt Gaetz, who said, half-jokingly, that he’d like to hire the 18-year-old Rittenhouse as a congressional intern. “Because Gaetz has always loved teenagers who are willing to do terrible things,” he joked, again eliciting wows.
There were also digs at Steve Bannon (“seen here ordering ‘one liver, please’”), Dave Chappelle, Paul Gosar, Adele, and, of course, Mel Gibson’s claim that he’s directing a fifth Lethal Weapon personally. “If you want to see a broken-down black guy team up with a handsome racist, just watch Weekend Update,” Che joked. And I bet you weren’t ready for an eyebrow joke about Frida Kahlo.
You can watch Weekend Update in the videos above and below.
