On 'SNL' Trump, Pelosi, and Schumer Played 'Deal Or No Deal' to Reopen the Government
Saturday Night Live returned for its first episode of 2019, and its cold open found Alec Baldwin breaking out his Trump impression once again. This time, he played a president struggling to strike a government-reopening bargain by playing Deal or No Deal. In place of real-life Deal host Howie Mandel, Steve Harvey (Keenan Thompson) emceed, a fitting pairing since, as Thompson put it, Harvey and Trump both have "neckties long enough that they could get caught in the Roomba."
The game, which found Trump considering deals offered by briefcase-toting members of Congress, made for one of the more successful cold opens this season. With celebrity guests kept to the minimum, the regular cast had room to shine. While a surprise appearance by Matt Damon as a blustering Brett Kavanaugh or Robert De Niro as a stoic Robert Mueller is always a fun sight, neither actor is a more effective impressionist than almost any SNL regular. And the cameos can grow old-even Baldwin appears to have gotten tired of his own Trump impression, and the show seems to have realized its returns are greatly diminished.
Baldwin's opening offer is, "$5 billion for my border wall, and in exchange I’ll extend DACA. And I’ll release the kids from cages so that they can be free-range kids."
Nancy Pelosi (Kate McKinnon) is having none of that, and while she swears she's not "drunk on [her] own power," her counter offer is a billion dollars for border security and Trump has to say, "Nancy's my mommy."
Inside Chuck Schumer’s (Mikey Day) briefcase is "whatever [Trump wants]," until McKinnon reminds him that he’s not supposed to cave in anymore. He gives a revised offer of "$15 and a pastrami on rye."
The game is sponsored by Green Beef-"It shouldn’t be green, but ain't nobody at the FDA to inspect"-and "Old Lady in an Inner Tube Way Out in the Ocean-the Coast Guard will be back soon, hang in there Beth."
The episode also saw the full-fledged return of Pete Davidson, who in December posted to Instagram a message that suggested he was having thoughts of suicide. Last night, Davidson appeared in one of his signature Weekend Update deskside bits. He was joined by SNL alum John Mulaney, and the pair mostly riffed on Clint Eastwood's The Mule, a film they described as being the cinematic equivalent of the the time Eastwood "berated an empty chair" at the Republican National Convention.
Still, they addressed Davidson's public struggles. Mulaney, who's contended with alcoholism himself, said he was spending time with Davidson to try to show him that that, "You can have a life in comedy that is not insane; a sober domestic life."
"Yeah," Davidson countered, "And after observing John’s life, I publicly threatened suicide."
"I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t make that joke," he chuckled. "But it is funny."
Mulaney responded by grabbing Davidson’s shoulder. "You are loved by many," he said. "And we are glad you are O.K."
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