SNL’s Fox News cold open poke fun at media’s attempt to dump Trump following dismal midterms

Saturday Night Live poked fun at the midterm elections and the urge by some conservative news media to ‘dump Trump’ in the aftermath, during the show’s cold open.

The scene opened on the set of Fox & Friends with cast members Heidi Gardner as Ainsley Earhardt, Mikey Day as Steve Doocy joined by Bowen Yang playing Brian Kilmeade. 

The question asked by SNL’s Fox News echoed that of real world news media: ‘What happened to that red wave?’ Day pondered.

Just as in the real world,  Fox News and other Rupert Murdoch-owned media and publications have dumped Trump. SNL’s Fox appeared to do the same while holding up some Trump-critical newspapers.

Cecily Strong then returned as far-right Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, appearing on camera in a soft focus – similar to her real-life on-screen appearances. 

SNL opened on the set of Fox & Friends with cast members Heidi Gardner as Ainsley Earhardt, Mikey Day as Steve Doocy joined by Bowen Yang playing Brian Kilmeade

Just as in the real world Fox News and other Rupert Murdoch-owned media and publications have dumped Trump, SNL’s Fox appeared to do the same while holding up critical newspapers.

Not all of the newspaper headlines were made up – including the Murdoch-backed NY Post

‘My campaign isn’t dead yet, even though my camera filter makes it look like I’m in heaven,’ she said.  

The anchors told her how the race is a toss-up with Democrat Katie Hobbs currently leading.

‘That is because the Maricopa County officials are incompetent and it’s my belief that the election is rigged and the results should be thrown out,’ Strong’s Lake said.

Yang’s Kilmeade then interrupted noting how Lake had suddenly taken the lead.

‘Which is why I’ve always said this is a democracy, trust the system, trust the voters,’ Strong’s Lake pivoted.

Cecily Strong then returned as far-right Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, appearing on camera in a soft focus

The skit then went back and forth on whether she was about to make allegations of voter fraud. 

‘Wait, actually Hobbs is leading’, he countered. 

‘Because our system is broken and it always has been,’ Lake interjected. 

‘Wait, Lake is back in the lead…’

‘….But thankfully now it’s fixed. Look, I am 100% confident I’m going to win this election. And I won’t stop fighting until every vote is counted and some are taken away,’ Lake went on. 

James Austin Johnson then returned as Donald Trump who, while in office, would frequently called the Fox News morning show to vent his frustrations.    

The sketch saw Johnson’s Trump grappling with the Republican’s disappointing performance in the midterms. 

The sketch saw James Austin Johnson’s Donald Trump grappling with the Republican’s disappointing performance in the midterms

‘Mr. President. I don’t know how to tell you this. But we have moved on. We can’t have you on the show anymore,’ Fox & Friends co-host Gardner’s Ainsley Earhardt told Trump.

‘What? What did I do?’ Johnson’s Trump asked. ‘Was it the insurrection?’

‘I made Ron DeSantis. He was going to lose, until I sent FBI agents to go and fix his election,’ he added. 

SNL’s Fox News essentially declared the GOP as being ready to move on because he is a loser. 

‘It’s because you lost. Mr. President. We just don’t see a future with you. But we can still be friends,’ Day’s Doocy told him bluntly. 

SNL’s Fox News essentially declared the GOP as being ready to move on from Trump because he is a loser

Trump attempted to stay on air as Fox’s graphics slowly shunted him off-screen. 

‘Hey don’t push me off!’ Trump said. ‘I have a big announcement and it is not what you think. I am running for president again!’

‘That was awkward, but we are finally free. Change is on the horizon and I have a pretty good idea that we won’t be hearing from him again,’ Doocy said, before receiving a call from Trump on his cellphone. 

The cold open then attempted to come full circle with Strong’s Kari Lake sitting on the Fox & Friends sofa having lost her Arizona Governor race but starting a job on Fox News as one of the network’s new anchors. 

‘You think if I lose I am going to go away? Not on your life,’ Lake said.