‘SNL’s Weekend Update Weighs In On Need For Gun Control; Bowen Yang Calls For Action In Response To Anti-Asian Hate Crimes: “Do More”
UPDATED with video: Tonight on Saturday Night Live, Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che spent a great deal of time talking about gun control, in the wake of recent mass shootings in Atlanta, GA and Boulder, CO.
“Well, this week kind of felt like Biden on those stairs,” said Jost, referencing shots of the President falling up the steps of Air Force One. “You thought it had to get better, but it repeatedly got worse.”
While President Biden called for universal background checks for gun purchasers, in the wake of these tragedies, Jost thought more could be done. “Background checks are a great start, but shouldn’t we also do current checks? Like, what are these guys up to now?” he said. “How much Call of Duty are they playing? Have they recently DMed a girl ‘Hey’ 30 times?”
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Alternately, Jost suggested that if you want a gun, the gun store could “talk to at least five people from your life who agree it’s a good idea for you to have a gun.
“It’s not really that much to ask,” he added. “I mean, you’ve got to list three references on an application to work at Foot Locker.”
Jost then fired shots at Republican officials, who turn immediately to discussion of the second amendment, in the wake of tragic shootings. “Just admit,” he said, “you value guns more than people you don’t know.”
On tonight’s edition of Weekend Update, the anchors then touched on President Biden’s first press conference. “At the conference President Biden was asked if he plans to run for reelection in 2004,” said Che, “which is probably the nicest way of asking him if he plans to be alive in three years.”
The pair also discussed a recent interview former President Donald Trump gave to Fox News. “Donald Trump lied about January 6th’s Capitol riots, saying that his supporters were not attacking officers, but instead ‘hugging and kissing’ police,” said Jost. “But I’m not surprised that Donald Trump can’t tell the difference between kissing and assault.”
Later, Jost and Che invited Trump’s former lawyer Sidney Powell (Cecily Strong) to join them, to discuss a lawsuit filed against her by Dominion Voting Systems. As justification for dismall of the defamation suit, Powell has publicly said that no reasonable person would believe what she said, with regard to fraud related to the 2020 Presidential election.
“I am fake news,” Strong said as Powell. “According to my lawyers, nothing I say should be taken seriously.”
Weekend Update wrapped up with a segment centered on “Asian Cast Member Bowen Yang,” who appeared to discuss the recent flurry of anti-Asian hate crimes, along with actions and online resources that could help prevent them in the future.
His suggestions, of course, were mostly jokes—like, “Call your senators and demand they known about the lesbian characters in Sailor Moon!”
“Look, I’m just a comedian. I don’t have the answers. But I’m not just looking for them online. I’m looking around me,” said Yang. “In Mandarin, there’s a [phrase] that means ‘Fuel up.’ I don’t know what’s helpful to say to everyone, but that’s what I tell myself. Fuel up, do more.”
Tonight’s episode of Saturday Night Live was hosted by former cast member Maya Rudolph. Jack Harlow was the week’s musical guest.
Check out Jost and Che’s comments on gun control above.
To view Weekend Update’s segments with Yang and Strong, and a third—tackling topics like a Goldman-Sachs exec’s purchasing of Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion—click on the videos below.