One of the final sketches from ‘Saturday Night Live’s’ Teyana Taylor–hosted episode dropped the usual punchline-per-minute pace in favor of satire, played out in a master class of not-so-subtle cues by Taylor and Thompson. Set on a PBS-style news roundtable, the sketch pairs earnest white commentators with two Black journalists who have clearly heard this song before.
Teyana Taylor plays PBS anchor Michelle Dixon, while Kenan takes on the role of The Chicago Tribune’s Calvin Mauel, while Mikey Day and Chloe Fineman play pundits for The Guardian and The Atlantic, who are both aghast by ICE activity in Minneapolis.
“The first word that comes to mind is unprecedented,” Day’s character says. “You got federal officers roaming the streets, just pulling people out of their cars, based on how they look. I mean, this just doesn’t happen in America.”
The comment draws near-silent dissent from Taylor and Thompson, who both react with a loaded “Mmmm.”
Their quiet murmurs speak volumes for so many Black Americans for whom none of this is new. The non-verbal responses don’t go unnoticed by Day’s character, who acknowledges, “I mean, I know what happens with some police. There are certainly bad cops out there, of course, but this is an entire federal force weaponized against the people it’s supposed to protect. It’s insane.”
Taylor and Thompson’s characters again respond with an “Mmmmm.” As each of his points is met with that same unspoken double standard, Day surrenders, begging the trio, “Can someone else go, please?”
As the conversation moves on to the protest at Cities Church, Taylor asks Fineman if arrests made following the protest will hinder the opposition to ICE.
“I mean, let’s be honest, not a lot of Democrats go to church,” Fineman says, which draws more murmurs from Taylor and Thompson. She then adds, “Okay, of course, Democrats go to church, but it’s a community thing, it’s not all about Jesus.”
Taylor speaks under her breath to Thompson, “Did she just say church ain’t about Jesus?”
“Well color me surprised,” Thompson replies.
“I know it’s about Jesus,” Fineman responds, “It’s just, left-leaning churches are not, you know, so political.”
Taylor and Thompson rebut with an extended, “Mmmm,” as Fineman surrenders, “Okay, stop, it’s not at all what I meant.”
As the conversation turns to Trump’s attempts to take over Greenland, the murmurs continue, carrying with them silent reminders about America’s past history of invasions and colonization.
The sketch isn’t mocking outrage itself; it’s exposing who gets to be surprised. Day and Fineman’s characters speak in the language of sudden awakening, insisting that “this is not who we are” and marveling at how far things have gone. Taylor and Thompson’s reactions suggest a different truth: this is who America has been for a long time, depending on where you stand and how closely you’ve been watching.
GrioFam, did you watch ‘SNL’ this weekend? What were your thoughts on the sketch?
