Sun Jan 19 17:40:00 UTC 2025: ## “SNL” Kicks Off 2025 with Trump-Filled Parody and Star-Studded Cast
**New York, NY** – Dave Chappelle hosted the first *Saturday Night Live* episode of 2025, marking his fourth time hosting the show, with musical guest GloRilla making her debut. The episode opened with a biting political satire featuring Sarah Sherman as Rachel Maddow anchoring a fictional MSNBC panel discussing the upcoming inauguration, devastating California wildfires, and the TikTok ban.
The panel, including Marcello Hernandez as Ari Melber, Ego Nwodim as Joy Reed, Heidi Gardner as Stephanie Ruhle, and Andrew Dismukes as Chris Hayes, was repeatedly interrupted by Sherman’s Maddow character with breaking news – fabricated Trump quotes ranging from a bizarre desire to “Trade Connecticut” to a comment about Arnold Palmer’s golf game made to wildfire victims.
James Austin Johnson reprised his role as Donald Trump, revealing his love for TikTok (which he claims helped get him elected), his plans for an indoor inauguration on Martin Luther King Day, and his latest cabinet pick: George Santos. Bowen Yang then joined the sketch as the disgraced former congressman, accepting a position as Secretary of Fact-Checking and Ambassador to Sephora, adding a layer of surreal humor to the already chaotic scene. Yang’s character also delivered a poignant yet comedic tribute to the late President Jimmy Carter, revealing Carter as his father.
The sketch cleverly blended actual news events with satirical commentary on the political landscape, generating laughs while highlighting current anxieties and controversies. The episode’s opening showcased *SNL’s* continued commitment to political satire and its ability to seamlessly weave together a diverse cast of comedic talents.
First Piper 