Jim Carrey steps down from 'SNL' role as Joe Biden: 'Comedy’s highest call of duty'
Jim Carrey will no longer play President-Elect Joe Biden on Saturday Night Live, passing the torch to a new generation of political impersonators.
“Though my term was only meant to be 6 weeks, I was thrilled to be elected as your SNL President...comedy’s highest call of duty,” the actor, 58, tweeted on Saturday. “I would love to go forward knowing that Biden was the victor because I nailed that sh*t. But I am just one in a long line of proud, fighting SNL Bidens!”
Sources close to the show confirm to Yahoo Entertainment that Carrey had only signed on for six episodes. Saturday Night Live, which airs on NBC, endorsed Carrey’s tweet by writing, “Thank you to Jim Carrey for showing up when it mattered.”
Replacing Jason Sudeikis, Carrey joined Season 46 in October, portraying Biden with his signature aviator sunglasses alongside Maya Rudolph, who plays Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris and Alec Baldwin as President Donald Trump. In November, when Trump lost the U.S. presidential election, Baldwin, who won an Emmy for the gig, tweeted that he was overjoyed to “lose a job.”
Aside from Sudeikis, John Mulaney and Woody Harrelson have depicted Biden on Saturday Night Live.
Carrey drew laughs with his Ace Ventura-inspired message to Trump after the election: “There are situations in life where, and this is one of them, where there must be a winner and a loooooser” he quipped. The president has not accepted the results of the election, instead filing unsuccessful lawsuits to overturn Biden’s incoming administration.
Other unforgettable skits: Carrey’s Halloween-themed cold-open during which he mocked Melania Trump’s Christmas decorations and a “scary story” from Donald Trump Jr.’s book Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us. And of course, his depiction of a fly who landed on the head of Vice President Mike Pence, a viral moment during the October V.P. debate.
Carrey’s replacement has not been announced. On Saturday, Kristen Wiig will host Saturday Night Live with Dua Lipa performing.
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