“Saturday Night Live” opened its show this week by commenting on CNN’s Equality Town Hall, and it brought in some special guests to help out.
The NBC variety show had Alex Moffat play CNN’s Anderson Cooper and brought in “Pose” star Billy Porter to announce the Democratic presidential candidates.
Porter introduced Sen. Cory Booker, played by Chris Redd, and Mayor Pete Buttigieg, played by Colin Jost, who asked why he wasn’t doing better in the race for president.
“Why am I not winning this?” Jost’s Buttgieg asked. “I’m a veteran. I’m under the legal retirement age. And when I talk it makes sense.”
Porter then introduced Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who was played by Kate McKinnon.
“Warren-ing, Warren-ing! The senator is here,” Porter said.
McKinnon’s Warren took questions from a member of the audience who asked her how would she respond if someone told her on the campaign trail that marriage is between a man and a woman.
“Look, I’m going to assume it’s a guy asking, OK?” McKinnon’s Warren said. “I would say, ‘Sir, tell me your bus stop because I want to know where you get off!”
McKinnon’s Warren then put on purple glasses, began to dance and took off her wig while being covered in red roses.
Porter then announced Julian Castro from “the house of urban deliciousness.” Castro was played by surprise guest, Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“As a Democrat I want to apologize for not being gay,” Miranda’s Castro said. “But I promise to do better in the future. However, I am Latino, which we can all agree is something.”
After Miranda’s Castro, another special guest, Woody Harrelson, came out to play former vice president Joe Biden.
“And now, the Delaware daddy whose only vice is the choo-choo train,” Porter said introducing Harrelson’s Biden.
“I’m glad we’re doing this! The vast majority of people in America are not homophobic,” Harrelson as Biden said. “They’re just scared of gay people.”
“That’s what homophobic means, Joe,” Moffat’s Cooper responded.
The sketch ended with Harrelson’s Biden thanking all of the Democratic candidates before saying that “we all know, I’m your guy.”
He and the rest of the sketch’s characters then said the show’s signature catch phrase, “Live … From New York! It’s Saturday night!”
