SNL once again poked fun at the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, which held its ninth and possibly final hearing this week.
On Saturday night, the show dedicated its cold open to the committee hearing chaired by Mississippi Democrat Bennie Thompson, played by Kenan Thompson, which also featured behind-the-scenes footage of Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer that got big laughs.
Thompson opened the sketch by saying congress has spent the better part of a year investigating the attack and thought the best way to present it to the American people was via a bunch of ‘monotone nerds’ who ‘did a power point,’ referring to the members of the committee.
‘I would first like to recognize the gentle lady from Wyoming, who I am shocked to say has become my best friend – Liz Cheney,’ said Thompson.
‘One person is responsible for this insurrection – Donald Trump. And one person will suffer the consequences – Me,’ Gardner as Cheney deadpanned, referencing Cheney’s recently lost primary election that will end her congressional career.
Also given special attention was a parody of footage aired during the actual committee hearing that showed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer hunkered down together as the chaos ensued.
Kenan Thompson as Rep. Bennie Thompson – no relation – (left) and Heidi Gardner as Rep. Liz Cheney (right) during SNL’s January 6 committee hearing cold open
Sarah Sherman as Chuck Schumer (left) and Chloe Fineman as Nancy Pelosi (right) in SNL’s October 15 cold open about the January 6 congressional committee
Side by Side: The real House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the events of January 6 and SNL’s Chloe Fineman as the speaker on Saturday night
The sketch mocked the lawmakers who have spent the better part of a year lasered focused on researching and presenting their findings about the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol
Cast member James Austin Johnson made an appearance as Donald Trump. SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels says Johnson plays a ‘diminished’ version of the 45th president
Cast member Mikey Day as the perpetually haggard looking Rep. Jamie Raskin said that while former President Trump ignored the situation at the Capitol complex ‘real leaders like Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer were bunkered in a Senate hideaway trying to save the country.’
Cut to a wide-eyed, high-eyebrowed Chloe Fineman as Nancy Pelosi whisper-shouting into her phone in conversation with then-Vice President Mike Pence as Sarah Sherman as Chuck Schumer barked into his phone about his lunch order.
‘Hello door dash, it’s Chuck Schumer. Yes we still haven’t received any of our lunch order and yes I did change the drop off due to some unfortunate treason, but it still should’ve arrived by now,’ said Schumer.
What was his order? ’12 dill pickles still floating in the juice and a hot pastrami sandwich with very light mustard.’
The bit also featured a fan-favorite Trump impression from James Austin Johnson who ended his bit by being handed a diet coke while seated on a golden toilet.
Thompson, at the end of hearing, said, ‘I can already see this is a complete zero. I would like to thank my colleagues for throwing away their summers and in some cases their careers to sit on this committee,’ said Thompson at the end of the affair.
‘I do have a couple regrets,’ said Cheney.
By the end of the ensemble piece, Pelosi was still panicking on the phone telling the VP that the invaders had thrown ‘poo poo’ on the walls of the Capitol, but Schumer had received his sandwich and was making good use of it.
Rep. Liz Cheney prepares to speak at the most recent January 6 House panel hearing, during which a vote was taken to subpoena the former president
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming) lost her August primary to Harriet Hageman after spending the last two years in an ongoing confrontation with members of her own party
Thursday afternoon’s actual airing of the select committee’s ninth hearing presented a sweeping overview of the case it has spent the better part of a year making against former President Donald Trump and his involvement with the January 6, 2021 Capitol breach.
The hearing, which was presented just weeks before the midterm election after which Democrats will likely no longer control congress, focused on making the case that Trump planned on declaring victory no matter what happened on Election Day 2020.
Never-before-seen footage of infamous Republican strategist Roger Stone was shown, as was footage of Democratic congressional leaders – Schumer and Pelosi – hunkering down on the Capitol grounds as the riot ran its course.
While Pelosi really did speak on the phone with Mike Pence, Schumer was on the phone not with his food delivery driver, but with vice president elect at the time Kamala Harris.
At the end of the hearing, the nine committee members unanimously voted on a resolution to subpoena Trump. It was introduced by committee vice chair Liz Cheney. The panel will likely issue the subpoena in the coming days.
Via his social media platform Truth Social, Trump (like SNL) mocked the committee and asked why they waited until now to subpoena him.
‘Why didn’t the Unselect Committee ask me to testify months ago? Why did they wait until the very end, the final moments of their last meeting? Because the Committee is a total ‘BUST’ that has only served to further divide our Country,’ he wrote.
It is unclear how the former president would respond to a subpoena from congress.