Reaction to ‘SNL’ presidential debates

Jordan Pendel, Staff writer

“Saturday Night Live,” “SNL,” I am sure you’ve heard of it. If you have not, it is a compilation of live comedy sketches.

Typically, there’s a famous host for the night that joins in on sketches, and a musical guest that performs.

On this season of SNL, they have been opening the show with a sketch based on the presidential debates. Kate McKinnon portrayed Hillary Clinton while Alec Baldwin portrayed Donald Trump. Let me say now, they killed it.

The premiere of Season 42 opened with the first debate, and these two were perfect. Right out the gate, their mannerisms of the presidential candidates were spot on.

McKinnon sounds, waves  and smiles exactly like Secretary Clinton.

It was obvious she did her homework, but Baldwin’s take on Trump may just be better than McKinnon’s Clinton.

His facial expressions and squinting are on point, albeit a little exaggerated, but hilarious nonetheless.  Baldwin’s “wrong, wrong, wrong” and interrupting McKinnon was perfectly executed and brought many laughs from my living room.

Cecily Strong and Alex Moffat opened the debate as Martha Raddatz and Anderson Cooper.

After introducing Trump as the Republican candidate, Strong asks Moffat if they can “say this yet?” Moffat nonchalantly replies “probably fine.”

Strong introduces President Hilary Clinton. It was so simple but it made me die of laughter. Each sketch got funnier and funnier with each episode.
Remember when Trump made a cameo in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York”? Baldwin brought it up after being asked a question about being a role model for today’s children. He describes it as a “documentary” where he helped a kid find the hotel lobby.

Also, if you are a fan of Ken Bone, the sketch adds a funny dance sequence about him.

The most recent “SNL” episode involved the sketch about the last presidential debate, and this one was definitely my favorite.

I do not think I stopped laughing the entire nine minutes of the sketch. McKinnon hilariously interrupts Baldwin because she got a Bingo after marking every ridiculous thing Trump said.

Don’t worry, Trump supporters.  Even though the sketches favor Secretary Clinton, they do make fun of her as well. Like bringing up her emails and the way she avoided them and changed the subject. McKinnon gives a great pivot gesture and had me copying that part the whole night.

The fact that Trump thinks Baldwin’s portrayal is “nasty and mean” is hilarious.  He wouldn’t have to act this way if Trump didn’t already do it to himself.  McKinnon is so good at portraying Secretary Clinton because of how much respect she has for her.

I encourage everyone to go on YouTube and watch these sketches, and after that, you can become addicted like me and watch future “Saturday Night Live” episodes.