'Saturday Night Live' lampoons 'Morning Joe' hosts' engagement and 'Trumpcare'
This week's "Saturday Night Live" took shots at the American Health Care Act, reports that President Donald Trump used to pretend to be his own spokesperson, and the recent news that "Morning Joe" hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski are engaged.
The show's cold open featured a skit starring comedians Kate McKinnon as Brzezinski and Alex Moffat as Scarborough.
It kicked off with a conversation about the Republican health care bill, which recently squeaked by with a 217-213 vote in the House and is headed to the Senate for debate.
"I mean, it's just, it's crazy. It's crazy," McKinnon said, mimicking Brzezinski's tone and expressive body language.
"Mika's over it," Moffat said.
"I am. I'm ... I'm up it, I'm over it, I'm past it, I'm in the driveway, the car is running," McKinnon replied. "This party - your party, the Republican party - is completely morally bankrupt. I'm disappointed," McKinnon continued, speaking to Moffat's Scarborough.
Scarborough is a Republican while Brzezinski is a Democrat.
"Oh, Mika, that's enough, OK," Moffat said, before turning to McKinnon. "You're being snickety because you know it pushes my buttons."
McKinnon then turned to Moffat. "Does it ... push your buttons?" she asked, while moving closer to him.
The two actors started flirting on set while McKinnon ran a hand through Moffat's hair. The display was an apparent reference to the news that Scarborough and Brzezinski became engaged and the hosts' subsequent attempt to avoid talking about their personal lives on the show.
The skit also featured other actors playing the show's regular columnists, all of whom acted surprised and disgusted by McKinnon's and Moffat's on-air displays of affection.
The hosts also blasted an AHCA amendment that would allow states to waive Obamacare's pre-existing conditions requirement if they meet certain criteria.
"A C-section is a pre-existing condition," McKinnon said. "And you know what's not a pre-existing condition? Erectile dysfunction," she continued.
"Well, hold on," Moffat said, appearing to get irritated. "Now, here we go, all right, Mika, you're being dramatic," he added.
The two hosts continued engaging in suggestive behavior throughout the skit - Moffat's Scarborough called McKinnon's Brzezinski "Mika mouse" and repeatedly said, "You're being naughty" - and in front of the show's panelists, who all looked confused and uncomfortable.
"Willie Geist, what are you seeing here?" Moffat asked, seeking panelists' thoughts on the AHCA.
"Uh, what am I seeing here? I have no idea, I have so many unanswered questions," said Willie Geist, who was played by SNL regular Mikey Day.
The skit also featured Alec Baldwin, who played Trump's media spokesman, John Miller. John Miller is reportedly an alias that Trump himself assumed years ago when he called members of the media to boast about his own successes.
Baldwin did not appear on screen but phoned into the show, as Miller/Trump, to talk about the AHCA's success, despite the fact that the bill had only passed the House.
"I'm just celebrating the fantastic success we had in Congress yesterday with the new health care law," Baldwin said. "After Congress voted, we had a party. There was beer, the disaster that was Obamacare has finally been repealed," he continued, before Moffat interrupted him to say that the bill had not yet become law.
"The bill goes through the Senate. They might even rewrite the entire thing ... if they pass it at all," Moffat said.
"But ... there was beer," Baldwin replied. He continued, "You know what, we're going to look into this. Talk to you soon. Bye-bye."