Kate McKinnon ‘slowly losing her mind’ as she contemplates the state of America on Saturday Night Live (NBC)
If you need a seven-minute summing up of the current state of America, our dear lesbian leader Kate McKinnon has you covered, with one of the best Saturday Night Live (SNL) cold opens in some time.
“What Still Works?” is a fake talk show that sees McKinnon interviewing crucial public figures such as “hateful and psychotic” conspiracy theorist US representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (Cecily Strong), a GameStop investor (Pete Davidson), Jack Dorsey (Mikey Day), Mark Zuckerberg (Alex Moffat), Tom Brady (John Krasinski) and, er, OJ Simpson (Kenan Thompson) to discuss current events.
And it’s absolutely incredible, particularly the segment with Marjorie Taylor Green, who has been featuring heavily in the news of late for, among other things, endorsing the QAnon conspiracy theory that says Donald Trump is actually the messiah sent to defeat a cabal of Satan-worshipping, child-abusing deep state villains. She also blames the 2018 Camp Fire wildfire in California on a space laser controlled by a prominent Jewish family, and suggested many school shootings were faked.
Kate’s introductory few sentences set the scene for the splendid and very on-the-nose comedy that’s about to follow. “Hello and welcome to ‘What Still Works?’, where we look at every part of American society and wonder ‘what still works?’
“It’s a new year and we have a new president, so some things should work, but do they? Our first topic is government and already I have my doubts. Joining us is a congresswoman from Georgia who’s been promoting QAnon conspiracy theories. Please welcome Marjorie Taylor Green.”
Margorie immediately offers Kate a gun, and rattles through some of her favourite lies.
“I believe 9/11 was a hoax, did anyone actually see it happen? I’ve also told my supporters that they should physically murder Nancy Pelosi, she’s this lady I work with. Oh, and this is a new one that just came out. I think that the California wildfires were caused by Jewish space lasers.”
It goes on like this for some time, and it’s amazing.
The real key to the skit’s success is Kate McKinnon’s cool, calm and collected reaction to all of these absolutely unbelievable statements: “And these are real things you believe and tell other people about? And you’re a US representative. You represent the US?”
She casually dismisses the congresswoman as “hateful and psychotic” before moving on, saying “so, government doesn’t work. Now, let’s take a look at the stock market. That usually works, right? That’s where people invest all their retirement money. Here to answer that question is the new majority shareholder of GameStop, Derrick Boner.” Fantastic.
Jack Dorsey and Mark Zuckerberg then make an appearance to discuss social media’s role in turning the entire world into a raging bin fire.
“While we’re gathering opinions on what works, would you say my chin beard is working?” says ‘Jack Dorsey’.
“It’s working in terms of keeping me a lesbian,” replies Kate. Iconic.
If you’re having a hard time with the news, then this clip might be just what you need.
She ends by saying: “I’ve been Kate McKinnon as myself, slowly losing my mind along with all of you.”
It’s a useful reminder that yes, unfortunately everything is still crazy, despite Biden’s victory – but you’re not alone in finding it all a bit much.