SNL Video: Bowen Yang’s George Santos Sings His Swan Song, Literally

Much of America breathed a sigh of relief as former U.S. Representative George Santos was expelled from Congress this week. As the list of alleged crimes grew to the point that not even a slim GOP majority was worth keeping him around for, there’s only one person who lost more than Santos himself: Bowen Yang. Because Saturday Night Live‘s cold open this week might be the last time Yang gets to play the cartoonishly dishonest congressperson.

The sketch opens with Wolf Blitzer as played by Sarah Sherman, who gets some sharp digs in at Elon Musk before throwing to a press conference. In a sign that the audience too knows that this may be their last glimpse of comedy gold, there’s an applause break when they realize it’s for the beleaguered Santos.

Yang’s portrayal of Santos is half flamboyant Disney villain, half Lyle Lanley – the guy who duped all of Springfield in the classic Simpsons episode, “Marge vs. the Monorail.” He plays the victim at the same time as he revels in his deceit, accusing America of attacking him for being a “proud, gay thief,” and the only thing he’s guilty of is “loving too much/fraud.”

Just when you think he’s going too far over the top – scamming a reporter in real time and claiming to be an astronaut, English royalty, Beyoncé and a princess of Genovia (the fictitious country from The Princess Diaries), Yang gives Santos the send-off he truly deserves: another remake of Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind.”

First sitting at a piano, then backed by a girls’ choir, he gives up a few more aliases, lists a few more crimes, and finally explains what he meant when he said he was “Jew-ish.” It’s a gleeful reminder of just how absolutely out there this guy was and there can be no better last (sung) words for him than “My candle burned out long before I could flee to Peru.”

Except, of course, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”

Watch the sketch above, then grade this week’s SNL: