Senator-elect James Talarico surprised television audiences during the cold open of Saturday Night Live by walking onto the stage to interrupt a sketch featuring President Donald Trump, poking fun at his own campaign text messages and the long-running NBC comedy series, according to Yahoo.
The appearance on the November 7 episode followed a midterm election cycle that saw Democrats take control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The sketch opened with congressional leaders celebrating their party's gains before James Austin Johnson's Donald Trump took center stage to lament the results and complain about changing voter alignments.
Stepping Into the Cold Open
As the sketch progressed, Trump grumbled about the election results and rattled off nicknames for various Democrats. When he reached Texas and mentioned “Talafreako,” the real-life senator-elect stepped out from the wings to thunderous applause from the New York City studio audience.
omg James Talarico just made a surprise appearance on SNL, and the audience went WILD "Hi, America! I'm James Talarico, the guy who's been texting you every day asking for $5. But I think, Mr. President, if we can work together we can make life better for everyday Americans.… pic.twitter.com/aaJvkFlfXk
Correction in hand, the incoming lawmaker took over the spotlight.
Hi America, I’m James Talarico, the guy who’s been texting you every day asking for $5.
James Talarico, Senator-elect
Johnson’s Trump quipped back in character: In this economy, who can blame you?
Talarico then turned the conversation toward governance and political satire, suggesting that the country was ready for something different—specifically targeting the repeating format of the show’s political cold opens, according to USA Today.
Texas Senate Victory Preceded the Cameo
Talarico’s television appearance arrived just days after his victory in Texas, where he defeated Republican Ken Paxton to flip the state’s Senate seat with 55.09 percent of the vote. The win marked the first time a Democrat won a Senate seat in Texas since 1988, contributing to the broader national wave that handed control of Congress to the Democrats.
With the election concluded, broadcast limitations became moot, clearing the path for an unexpected studio appearance alongside guest host Druski and musical guest The Strokes.
Closing the Sketch
After asking Johnson’s Trump how many more freezing-action sketches the program intended to produce—to which the fictional president answered “Infinity!”—the incoming senator joined in to deliver the show’s signature opening line.
Well, in that case, there’s only one thing left to say: Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!
James Talarico and James Austin Johnson, Senator-elect and actor
James Austin Johnson and James Talarico concluded the memorable cold open together, bringing the long-running sketch to a finish.
Trump breaks down the midterm election results pic.twitter.com/1yy2ug6Aak
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Trump: In Texas, Talafreako…@JamesTalarico: That’s Senator Talafreako. Hi America, I’m James Talarico, the guy who's been texting you every day asking for $5. Trump: In this economy, who can blame you? Talarico: But I think, Mr. President, if we can work together, we can… pic.twitter.com/JuZ3HMAQp6