The first Saturday Night Live In 2021’s cold open, Cecily Strong played the role of Marjorie Taylor Greene, QAnon’s supporter turned congressman whose conspiracy theories have become a source of endless media fascination.
The idea was that Greene was a guest on a talk show, Which still works, with the host (Kate McKinnon) asking her, “What are some of the theories you believe in and have been promoted?”
“Okay, first of all, I think the Parkland shooting was a hoax,” Greene says. “The teachers were actors and the children were puppets. I believe 9/11 was a hoax. Did anyone actually see it happen? I have also told my supporters to physically kill Nancy Pelosi. This lady I work with. And this is a new one that just came out: I think the California wildfires were caused by Jewish space lasers. “
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“So there are lasers in space that start fires, and the lasers identify as Jewish?”
“Correct,” Greene says confidently.
As it turns out, the jokes don’t stray too far from reality, as posts from Greene’s previous social media posts and other statements surfaced. On Saturday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office released a press release accusing Republican minority leader Kevin McCarthy for not taking action against Greene and “rewarding” her with a seat on the House Education and Budget Committee.
Strong portrayed her with a sort of eccentric arrogance seen in some of the real Greene’s clips, including one where she satirized Parkland survivor David Hogg.
Which still works continued with guests Pete Davidson, as GameStop’s new majority shareholder, who saw its stock price skyrocket this week amid a Reddit-inspired backlash against hedge funds; and then the long-bearded Jack Dorsey (Kyle Mooney) and Mark Zuckerberg (Mikey Day), who defend the way their platforms have dealt with misinformation.
At one point, Dorsey asks the host if his beard, which he has worn during convention hearings, “works.”
“It works to keep me a lesbian,” says the host.
Next up was Kenan Thompson as OJ Simpson, wearing an ankle bracelet, to talk about how he managed to get a Covid-19 vaccine, even though getting it was still a challenge for older Americans.
“Guilty as charged … on the vaccine,” Simpson said.
The sketch ended with John Krasinski as Tom Brady, who, according to the presenter, is “perhaps the only one in America that still works”.
“So I think everyone is looking for you a lot, right?” she says.
“Hardly anyone,” says Brady.
“Well, I’ll be rooting for you, Tom Brady, because you’re the only thing this country can still rely on. And it’s not like you’re some weird Trump guy or anything, right? “
Then Brady says sheepishly, “Thanks for having me.”
The host then finishes. “I’ve been Kate McKinnon while, along with all of you, I was slowly losing my mind.”
Watch the cold open above.