'Saturday Night Live': Nikki Haley Makes Cameo, Mocks Donald Trump and Her Own Controversial Civil War Remarks
Saturday Night Live is often political, and this weekend's "cold open" upped the ante with a surprise cameo from Nikki Haley, playing herself, as she grilled James Austin Johnson's Donald Trump during a CNN Town Hall sketch.
The sketch began as several others focused on Johnson's Trump impression, and was largely a showcase for his impressive impersonation.
However, the surprising highlight came when the town hall moderators took questions from the audience and one of those in the audience was Haley herself, who used her time in the spotlight to poke fun at Trump -- and attempt to make herself look good.
After Johnson's Trump mistook Haley for Nancy Pelosi, Haley quipped, "Are you doing OK, Donald? You might need a mental competency test."
"I took the test and I aced it. Perfect score," Johnson's Trump shot back. "They said I'm 100 percent mental."
Ayo Edebiri asks Nikki Haley on #SNL: "I was just curious, what would you say was the main cause of the civil war, and do you think it starts with an 'S' and ends with a 'LAVERY?'" pic.twitter.com/J0LKZpkPnN
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 4, 2024
Before the sketch closed, SNL host Ayo Edebiri was called on to ask a question for Haley herself.
"I was just curious, what would you say was the main cause of the civil war? And do you think it starts with a 'S' and ends with a 'Lavery?'"
"Yep. I probably should have said that the first time," Haley replied, trying to laugh off the critique. The moment was in reference to a town hall debate in December when Haley was asked about the reasons for the Civil War, and she failed to mention slavery in her answer, generating a great deal of criticism.
It seems that SNL is facing some backlash for having Haley on the show in the first place, as many on both ends of the political spectrum took to Twitter to slam the cameo.
Nikki Haley will only ever diss trump on a comedy show, and WTF is slavery denier doing on SNL anyway?
Disgraceful, @nbcsnl. 👎👎 pic.twitter.com/aBHTI91XZg— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) February 4, 2024
We are all these extras. #snl#nikkihaleypic.twitter.com/aPeYmGg0S2
— Jaime Robledo (@RobledoReturns) February 4, 2024
why is there a nikki haley cameo the night ayo edebiri is hosting … pic.twitter.com/2Bx5PrO3Pm
— tati (@cevanstarshine) February 4, 2024
how much did nikki haley pay to turn the snl opening sketch into propaganda that was pic.twitter.com/NeCkwG5Nsr
— becca (@kazs_rietvelds) February 4, 2024
SNL just had Nikki Haley appear as herself during their “Republican town hall” cold open……………..smh.
Ayo Edebiri: What do you think was the main cause of the Civil War, and do you think it starts with an "S" and ends with a "lavery"? pic.twitter.com/W1G35D1faQ— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) February 4, 2024
Lord have mercy..Nikki Haley appears on SNL during the cold opening. 🙄😏 #SNLpic.twitter.com/Ffvajqw7Yl
— MaryK Myal (@MaryKMyal) February 4, 2024
Wondering if anyone on SNL’s cast or guests considered telling the producers they didn’t want to appear on the show with Nikki Haley, who denies the history of racism in America. Probably not. That would’ve been a good ethical move but a bad career move.
— Mark Jacob (@MarkJacob16) February 4, 2024
Saturday Night Live airs live, coast-to-coast at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT on NBC, and streams live on Peacock.
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