The first “Saturday Night Live" since Donald Trump's election victory began with the most somber of tones as a group of plainly dressed cast members, primarily women and minorities, described their new reality.
“To many people, including many people watching right now, the results were shocking and even horrifying,” Ego Nwodim soberly said.
“Donald Trump, who forcibly tried to overturn the results of the last election, was returned to office,” Heidi Gardner said.
“And now," Bowen Yang added, "thanks to the Supreme Court, there are no guardrails.”
Then came the swerve from the liberal-leaning show.
“That is why we at ‘SNL’ would like to say to Donald Trump, we have been with you all along," Keenan Thompson said.
Yang chimed in, “We have never wavered in our support for you, even when others doubted you.”
“Every single person on this stage believed in you,” Sarah Sherman said.
Marcello Hernández added, “Every single person on this stage voted for you.”
The cast members went on to effusively declare their reverence for, and obedience to, the former and future president, introducing a new character, “Hot, Jacked Trump.”
Cast member James Austin Johnson, who plays a dead-on Trump and was virtually guaranteed a long-term job by the election, came out as an Adonis-bodied president-elect.
“From now on we’re going to do a very flattering portrayal of Trump, because frankly he’s my hero," Johnson said in his Trump voice but speaking as himself. “He’s going to make an incredible president and eventually king.”
The episode, hosted by standup comic and actor Bill Burr, was the first all season that did not begin with former cast member Maya Rudolph, who played Vice President Kamala Harris in a giddy five-week run culminating with an appearance last week of Harris herself that began the show's 50th season and brought a ratings spike.
Burr, hosting after standup Dave Chappelle hosted the last two post-presidential election episodes, did his own feint in his monologue, saying, “I don’t watch politics” and doing some standard standup including an airplane bit before doubling back to the elephant in the studio, the election.
“Alright, let’s get to what you all want to talk about. Alright ladies, you’re 0-and-2 against this guy," he said. "But you learn more from your losses than your wins. So let’s get into the game tape. Ladies, enough with the pantsuit. Okay, it’s not working. Stop trying to have respect for yourself.”
He suggested candidates that were a least a little more scantily clad, saying, “I know a lot of ugly women — feminists, I mean — don’t want to hear this message.”
Burr was “so psyched that this stupid election is finally over. Everybody knew who they were going to vote for four years ago. Then they just dragged us through a year and a half of this stuff,” he said.
After Trump's first election victory in 2016, the show opening was serious and stayed that way with Kate McKinnon, who played Hillary Clinton on the show, appearing as the losing candidate sitting at the piano and singing a somber version Leonard Cohen's “Hallelujah,” changing only one verse from the best-known versions of the song.
“And even though it all went wrong, I'll stand before the lord of song with nothing on my tongue but ‘Hallelujah,'” McKinnon sang in what became a national moment of catharsis for those on the losing side.
After finishing, McKinnon said in a shaky voice, “I'm not giving up and neither should you" before delivering the obligatory “live from New York, it's Saturday night!”
Rudolph made no appearance as Harris on this Saturday night, but former cast member Dana Carvey, who has played President Joe Biden all season, showed up as a leaping Elon Musk after the cast said they loved him, too.
After the opening, the sketches downshifted into standard, non-election “SNL” fare, except of course for the fake news “Weekend Update.”
“On Tuesday, we learned that Democrats don’t actually know how to rig an election," faux co-anchor Colin Jost said.
He later added, “If I know Democrats, they’re going to take a long look in the mirror, learn from their mistakes and run Biden again in 2028.”
Co-anchor Michael Che, who is Black, drank throughout the segment, saying he couldn’t believe people convinced him Harris could win over rural Pennsylvanians.
“Clearly I’ve been spending too much time with you white liberals and your goofy optimism,” Che said.
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris appears on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," with Maya Rudolph, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 in New York. Harris has made an unannounced trip to New York to appear briefly stepping away from the battleground states she's been campaigning in with just three days to go before the election. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
FILE - Bill Burr, a cast member in "Unfrosted," poses at the premiere of the Netflix film at the Egyptian Theatre, April 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)
HOUSTON (AP) — Houston's Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended by the NFL without pay for three games Tuesday for repeated violations of player safety rules following his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.
Al-Shaair's punishment was announced by NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan. In his letter to Al-Shaair, Runyan noted that he has had multiple offenses for personal fouls and sportsmanship-related rules violations in recent seasons.
Back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, Lawrence scrambled left on a second-and-7 play in the second quarter of Houston’s 23-20 win on Sunday. He initiated a slide before Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback.
In his letter to Al-Shaair, Runyan called the hit “unacceptable and a serious violation of the playing rules.”
“Video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide," Runyan wrote. “You led with your forearm and helmet and delivered a forceful blow to the head/neck area of your opponent when you had time and space to avoid such contact.”
Al-Shaair is appealing the suspension, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the appeal is pending.
If the suspension is upheld, Al-Shaair won't be eligible to return to Houston’s active roster until after the team’s Christmas Day game against the Baltimore Ravens. Al-Shaair has a base salary of $1.5 million this season, meaning it will cost him about $265,000 if the three-game suspension is upheld.
Lawrence clenched both fists after the hit — movements consistent with what’s referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury. He was on the ground for several minutes as teammates came to his defense and mobbed Al-Shaair in what escalated into a brawl.
As Al-Shaair was leaving the field after being ejected, fans started screaming at him. Jaguars veteran guard Brandon Scherff joined in, prompting another altercation with Al-Shaair. Texans teammate Will Anderson grabbed Al-Shaair and was escorting him off the field when a fan threw a water bottle and hit Anderson in the helmet. The fan was later ejected.
Runyan also outlined Al-Shaair's behavior after the hit in announcing the suspension.
“After the illegal hit, you proceeded to engage in a brawl, which you escalated when you pulled an opponent down to the ground by his facemask,” he wrote. “After the referee announced that you were disqualified for the hit and your unsportsmanlike acts, you removed your helmet and reengaged with your opponent while walking down and across the field, which started another physical confrontation near the end zone.”
This is the third time this season Al-Shaair has been punished by the league. Last week, he was flagged and later fined $11,255 for a late hit out of bounds on Titans running back Tony Pollard.
He was fined earlier this year after he punched Bears running back Roschon Johnson on the sideline in Week 2. That occurred during a scuffle that started after his hard shot on quarterback Caleb Williams near the sideline wasn’t flagged.
“Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL," Runyan told Al-Shaair in the letter. "Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated.”
Al-Shaair apologized to Lawrence in a long post on X Monday, where he said first said he didn’t see Lawrence sliding until “it was too late” and that it happened “in the blink of an eye” before saying he was sorry for the hit.
Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said Sunday it was a play that ”really has no business being in our league," and said Monday that the team is considering shutting Lawrence down for the season.
AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) leaves the field on a cart after getting injured on a late hit by Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (17, right) jumps on Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) after his late hit on quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) is looked at by trainers after a late hit by Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) slides in front of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. Lawrence was injured on the play. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
