Saturday Night Live pokes fun at cast member exodus meta 48th season opener Trump Mar-a-Lago estate

Saturday Night Live poked fun at itself as it returned for its 48th season opener following a mass exodus of longtime cast members and rumors that the show is nearing its end.

The opening skit was set around former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Host Miles Teller, star of summer blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick, played former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning as he commented on the skit that was unfolding before him.

‘There are a lot of changes at the show, which could be exciting. Let’s see what they spent the entire summer coming up with,’ he began in the meta skit. ‘Oh, good. Trump sketch. Way to mix it up.’

Eight cast members including Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson and Kyle Mooney departed the comedy show in May with new names, Marcello Hernández, Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow and Devon Walker joining the weekly production. 

SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels assured fans last week that despite the long-running variety program approaching its 50th birthday, and him his 78th, he has no plans to call it quits. 

James Austin Johnson’s Trump impression made a return during a Mar-a-lago sketch

Teller continued to commentate on the skit, with James Austin Johnson’s Trump impression making a return. 

‘What about fun impression like Anthony Fauci or Lindsey graham or Rudy Giuliani?’ asked Teller.

‘Those were all Kate McKinnon’, responded Andrew Dismukes, speaking as Peyton’s younger brother, Eli Manning.  

‘The show has been rebuilding for sure,’ Teller continued as Peyton, bringing up some ‘stats’ of the show.

‘Let’s take a look at the stats so far. 14 attempted jokes this episode. Only one mild laugh and three chuckles. I heard they stay up until 5:00am writing the show,’ he joked.

‘When do they start writing the show? 4:30?’ joked Eli.

Things became even more meta as three-time SNL host John Hamm joined Payton and Eli as a special guest commentator provide further jokey ‘analysis’ of the cast’s gaffes in the sketch-within-a-sketch, mocking Teller’s hosting duties.

The SNL cold open was unusually meta as it poked fun at itself in a change of writing tact

Three-time SNL host John Hamm then appeared to give further analysis 

‘Well, you know, sometimes they need to bring in a real celebrity when the host isn’t that famous… I mean, they couldn’t get the star of the big summer movie, like, Tom Cruise or John Hamm, they had to get the costar.’  

Peyton replied: ‘Well, I heard they rarely put the hosts in cold open, so when they do, it is special.’

‘Special? Or is it desperate?’ Hamm fired back.

When asked for his take on the cold open, Hamm said: ‘I don’t know, but it’s not comedy,’ said to laughs.  

‘They haven’t even used Kenan yet. That’s like putting a whole team of Elis on the field and you’ve got Payton sitting on the sidelines,’ the Mad Men actor joked.

The long-running late-night sketch show experienced one of its largest recent cast turnovers this year with eight cast members departing and only four joining

The show’s attempt to poke fun at itself while introducing the new cast members to the audience, coupled with some self-deprecation caught the attention of Twitter users. 

‘Very meta for the #SNL cold open to make fun of how unfunny the season is expected to be yet still had to have 2 cameos plus Miles Teller to make it worthwhile,’ wrote Brooke Steinberg.

‘ManningCast tearing SNL and all of the changes apart is meta af and I’m so here for it,’ added another user. 

‘So I guess #SNL figured they didn’t have to write any decent jokes for the cold open if they made it a meta joke with Peyton and Eli Manning reacting to purposefully bad material. Interesting move,’ noted another.  

The show’s attempt to poke fun at itself while introducing the new cast members to the audience, coupled with some self-deprecation caught the attention of Twitter users

The show has also added its first non-binary cast member.

Comedian Molly Kearney, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, will star throughout the show’s 48th season.

The news comes amid a mass exodus of veteran cast members, including fan-favorites Pete Davidson and Kate McKinnon.

Comedian Molly Kearney, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, will star in the sketch show’s upcoming 48th season; pictured in 2019

‘MEATBRICK MOVED TO NEW YORK !!!!’ captioned Kearney, who eagerly shared their SNL headshot to Instagram on Thursday.

They are no stranger to television as they recently starred as Fern Dannely in Amazon’s series remake of the classic 1992 film A League of Their Own.

They’ve also appeared in the Disney+ comedy-drama series The Mighty Ducks, which was released in March 2021.

In 2019, Kearney was selected to perform in Comedy Central’s annual comedy showcase, Up Next. Comedians are scouted via a nationwide talent search for the show.

Along with Kearney, it was reported by NBC on Thursday that three more comedians have been added to the roster.

Cast shakeup: The news comes amid a mass exodus of veteran cast members, including fan-favorites Pete Davidson and Kate McKinnon

‘MEATBRICK MOVED TO NEW YORK !!!!’ captioned Kearney, who eagerly shared their SNL headshot to Instagram on Thursday

Just for Laughs New Face of Comedy honoree Marcello Hernandez, NBC’s Bring The Funny star Michael Longfellow and comedy writer Devon Walker will make their SNL debuts this fall.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that recognizable SNL stars Alex Moffat, Melissa Villaseñor and featured player Aristotle Athar would be exiting the show,.

Their departure will significantly change the makeup of the cast following the earlier departures of Pete Davidson, Aidy Bryant, Kate McKinnon and Kyle Mooney.

New class: Along with Kearney, it was reported by NBC on Thursday that three more comedians have been added to the roster, including Just for Laughs New Face of Comedy honoree Marcello Hernandez

Coming soon! Comedy writer Devon Walker will make his SNL debut this fall

Hilarious: NBC’s Bring The Funny star Michael Longfellow has been cast

Both Moffat and Villaseñor joined the SNL cast as featured players in 2016, before joining the main cast of repertory players two years later.

Moffat was a regular guest with Colin Jost and Michael Che on Weekend Update as Guy Who Just Bought a Boat, and he also played a particularly dim-witted version of Eric Trump.

He also stared as President Joe Biden for a time, before current featured player James Austin Johnson took over the role.

Villaseñor had fewer recurring roles, though she appeared in the show’s political sketches as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Out the door: SNL cast members Alex Moffat (L), Melissa Villaseñor (R) and featured player Aristotle Atari are leaving the series, according to Deadline on Thursday

One and done: Athari joined the featured players back in the fall of 2021 along with Johnson and Sarah Sherman, but he never gained as much screen time as the other two; seen in November 2021

She has worked for years as an in-demand voice actor for animated shows, and her facility with odd voices was also put to use on SNL. 

Villaseñor, who telegraphed her departure by sharing memories from her time on the series earlier in August, will be heading out on a stand-up tour starting in October.

Both comics joined the cast at the same time as Mikey Day, who is apparently sticking around.

Athari joined the featured players back in the fall of 2021 along with Johnson and Sarah Sherman, but he never gained as much screen time as the other two.

Regulars: Moffat regularly played Guy Who Bought a Boat, Eric Trump and even Joe Biden for a time; still from SNL featuring Alec Baldwin

Moving on: Villaseñor, who telegraphed her departure by sharing memories from her time on the series earlier in August, will be heading out on a stand-up tour starting in October; seen with Cecily Strong (L)

Pete Davidson, Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant and Kyle Mooney previously left the series at the conclusion of season 47 in the spring.

New cast members and the returning crop of stars are typically announced a few weeks before the start of the season, though a season 48 premiere date hasn’t been announced yet.

Senior producer Lindsay Shookus, who had worked on the show in some capacity since 2002, also left the show earlier in August.

After being promoted to a full producer, she took over the talent department and was in charge of booking the show’s hosts and musical guests, along with searching for future cast members.