In the first cameo-free cold open of the season, Saturday Night Live's reigning queen of political impressions, Kate McKinnon, portrayed a “pumped-up on a Nature Valley granola bar” version of Sen. Elizabeth Warren hosting a town hall in Iowa to kick off last night’s episode.
Warren, who is, according to many polls, one of the Democratic frontrunners for the nomination, hasn’t been spoofed on SNL as often as some of the other candidates, so seeing McKinnon perfectly capture her school-teacher-turned-politician vibe on last night’s show was exciting and refreshing.
McKinnon mocked President Donald Trump for moving his residency from New York to Florida, offering congratulations to the commander-in-chief for "paying less taxes" because of it.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
She then took questions from undecided voters, who weren't quite sure if the Democratic presidential candidate's Medicare for All plan was right for them. McKinnon's Warren enthusiastically defended the policy.
One young woman voter stood up and said, "Hi senator, my current insurance isn't perfect, but with your plan, I'd have to give it up. And that makes me nervous."
McKinnon's Warren responded, "You know what, I hear this from a lot of people. Let me help you understand. Your insurance is like a bad boyfriend. Girl, listen to me. You need to leave him. He is draining you."
The voter agrees, but asks, through dramatic tears, "I'm just scared to leave because what if it's the best I can get?"
McKinnon's Warren asks, "Girlfriend, how much is your deductible?"
She responds, "Eight thousand dollars. I don't even have dental. My teeth hurt so bad!"
"You're gonna call them, and you're gonna end it," McKinnon as Warren responds, nailing the candidate's cadence, "and I'm gonna come over with an apple strudel and we're gonna post up on the couch and watch my favorite show, which somehow is Ballers."
The voter agrees and McKinnon as Warren asks if she has her vote.
"I don't know," she says, "Pete Buttigieg seems nice."
"Aww go to hell," says the candidate, succinctly summing up our feelings on Warren not getting the attention (and roasting) we’d like to see on SNL and other network shows.
Watch the full clip below.