Just a day after the real OJ Simpson confirmed he got the vaccine via Twitter, Kenan Thompson spoofed the former football star in ‘SNL’s hilarious opener!
Saturday Night Live‘s Kate McKinnon opened the first episode of 2021 with a bang! Playing herself, the comedian hosted a spoof talk show called “What Still Works?” as she decided to tackle a number of controversial issues including QAnon conspiracies, Tom Brady, social media giants Twitter and Facebook and the COVID-19 vaccine. Kenan Thompson played OJ Simpson in the sketch just a day after the real-life football star, who is 73-years-old, confirmed he had received the vaccine.
“Joining us is someone who just received the vaccine,” Kate began as Kenan’s OJ — clad in a pink golf shirt and chino pants — made his way onto the set. “How’s it going gang?” he happily smiled and laughed at the audience as a perplexed Kate tried to wrap her head around the fact that OJ — who remains one of America’s most controversial figures as a result of the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson in 1994 — is one of the few to have been inoculated. “Teachers can’t get the vaccine — but you did?…People with long term lung conditions can’t get the vaccine — but you did?” she inquired.
“Absolutely,” Kenan’s OJ replied as Kate remained flabbergasted. “Among the first 3% of all Americans to get the vaccine was OJ Simpson?” she went on, prompting Kenan’s OJ to reply: “Eh, guilty as charged.” The line was, of course, a nod to OJ’s wrap sheet of past legal issues: he was infamously found not guilty in the murder of Nicole, however, ended up in prison years later after a robbery and kidnapping over an attempt to steal some of his past sports memorabilia. “So the vaccine roll out — it doesn’t work. Thank you so much for coming,” Kate declared, as OJ’s ankle bracelet began to beep. “I just knew my schedule was wide open,” he added as the sketch ended.
The real OJ shared photos from his COVID-19 vaccination via Twitter on Friday, Jan. 29. Wearing a black face mask donning his nickname “The Juice,” the former Buffalo Bills star could be seen rolling up the sleeve to a white shirt as a nurse administered the vaccine. “Get your shot. I got mine!!!” the 73-year-old wrote in his tweet. The post quickly went viral as Twitter users zoomed in on the loose fitting glove worn by the nurse, declaring that it “still doesn’t fit.” The jokes were in reference to his trial in the ’90s: a blood soaked leather glove was used as evidence in the court room, and the real OJ attempted to put the too-tight item on his hands for the jury to see.