SNL Cold Open Shocks Viewers: Star-Studded Sketch Roasts 2024 Election—Watch the Must-See Clip

Saturday Night Live kicked off its Nov. 15 episode with a biting SNL cold open that zeroed in on Donald Trump’s latest Jeffrey Epstein headache, turning the White House briefing room into a comedic minefield of evasions, one-liners and gold-framed “evidence.” Cold open highlights • Ashley Padilla debuted as press secretary Karoline Leavitt, insisting “nothing happened this week” even as reporters pressed about 20,000 newly released Epstein emails that mention Trump more than 1,000 times. • James Austin Johnson’s Trump burst in to claim he was “hiding almost nothing—just enough to look suspicious,” before quipping that he “barely knew” Epstein despite “thousands of pictures” of them together. • The sketch lampooned one eyebrow-raising email—Epstein asking if Vladimir Putin had a photo of Trump “blowing Bubba”—by offering that message in an $800 gold frame, “the perfect stocking stuffer.” • Trump capped the bit by pardoning a Thanksgiving turkey that was, “by complete coincidence, a convicted sex criminal,” underscoring the episode’s darkly satirical tone. Why this cold open is trending The Epstein email dump has dominated political headlines all week, making SNL’s speedy parody share-ready fodder for social media. By weaving in the House vote to release DOJ files, the writers kept the sketch tethered to a real-time story, boosting search interest around “SNL cold open,” “Epstein emails” and “Trump deflection.” Episode context Actor Glen Powell hosted the show—his first time—while rising U.K. singer Olivia Dean performed as musical guest. Powell resurfaced later to spoof Mission: Impossible-style stunts, but the cold open generated the night’s widest buzz, racking up millions of YouTube views within hours. SEO takeaway For viewers who missed it live, NBC has already posted the full “Epstein White House Briefing Cold Open” clip online. Search‐friendly terms such as Saturday Night Live season 51, SNL Trump sketch, Epstein files, Glen Powell SNL and gold-framed emails are surging as fans dissect each punchline.