SNL Skewers MSNBC’s Obsession with Trump

This weekend, Saturday Night Live set its sights on MSNBC, delivering a scathing parody that poked fun at the network’s fixation on former President Donald Trump. The satirical skit, which took aim at everything from the channel’s dramatic tone to the quirks of its anchors, left audiences buzzing with its fiery humor.

The centerpiece of the skit was cast member Sarah Sherman’s portrayal of Rachel Maddow, complete with the host’s trademark cropped hairstyle and thick-rimmed glasses. Opening the segment, Sherman’s Maddow quipped, “Dads watching at home, you better hide your older, bookish-looking lesbian daughters,” setting the tone for the sharp commentary to follow.

Sherman’s Maddow introduced a fictional panel, describing them as “The Avengers for your aunt,” lampooning the network’s roster of commentators. The panel included caricatures of MSNBC regulars such as Ari Melber, Joy Reid, Stephanie Ruhle, and Chris Hayes. Each character was exaggerated to highlight the personalities and quirks that have made the network a frequent target of criticism.

One standout moment came from the portrayal of Joy Reid, played by Ego Nwodim, who vowed that MSNBC would take a more measured approach to covering Trump. “This time around, we’re not going to get sucked in by every shiny, crazy statement from Trump. We’re going to focus on what he does, not what he says,” declared Nwodim’s Reid. The punchline? Sherman’s Maddow immediately interrupts with “breaking news” that Trump allegedly proposed trading Connecticut for Italy.

The segment’s humor hinged on exaggerated “breaking news” interruptions, including a fabricated story about Trump telling wildfire victims in California that “Arnold Palmer had some of the longest balls in American history.” These absurd interjections were a clear jab at MSNBC’s reputation for hyperbolic and often over-the-top coverage of Trump.

One of the sharpest jabs involved Chris Hayes and Rachel Maddow, two MSNBC anchors who have long been the subject of internet memes for their similar appearance. In the skit, Nwodim’s Reid directed a question to Maddow, but the camera mistakenly lingered on Chris Hayes, played by Andrew Dismukes. The awkward mix-up led to Dismukes’ Hayes stammering, “Oh, I’m not Rachel; I’m Chris Hayes,” to the audience’s amusement.

This isn’t the first time SNL has taken aim at Trump or the media’s coverage of him. Despite hosting the show twice, in 2004 and 2015, Trump has remained one of the program’s favorite targets. During the 2024 election cycle, SNL stirred controversy when Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on the show, leading to accusations of bias and an FCC Equal Time filing from NBC.

While Trump’s polarizing presence continues to dominate headlines, some conservative critics argue that networks like MSNBC have built a business model on endlessly analyzing his every word. Former press secretary and current media analyst, Sean Spicer, weighed in on the SNL skit, telling a radio audience, “Even comedy shows are starting to notice how ridiculous it’s gotten. It’s all Trump, all the time — and Americans see right through it.”

The SNL sketch has sparked conversations online, with many praising the show for skewering media partisanship. Others, however, criticized the program for targeting left-leaning networks while rarely scrutinizing right-leaning outlets with the same vigor.

The debate highlights a broader media landscape increasingly divided along partisan lines. But for one night, at least, Saturday Night Live reminded audiences that no one is above a little ridicule — not even those claiming to hold the powerful accountable.