Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

Jimmy Fallon got through the ‘SNL’ cold open without insulting Donald Trump

The “Tonight Show” host didn’t have any lines in the skit.

Screenshot Saturday Night Live, YouTube
Screenshot Saturday Night Live, YouTube
Screenshot Saturday Night Live, YouTube
Screenshot, SNL, YouTube

Hosting “Saturday Night Live” without making a political statement would be challenging for most comedians, but apparently not for Jimmy Fallon.

The “Tonight Show” star managed to appear in the show’s opening skit, set in the Oval Office, without disparaging President Trump. The trick: He didn’t have any lines at all.

Fallon’s role as Jared Kushner had him standing bashfully in a blazer and bullet-proof vest (an outfit the real Kushner was derided for wearing during a trip to Iraq) while Alec Baldwin as Trump made comments about Kushner not liking to talk.

The tame skit has some saying Fallon was being soft on Trump, a critique he’s heard before.

During the 2016 presidential race, Fallon infamously tousled Trump’s hair during an appearance by the then candidate on Fallon’s show. The comedian caught some flack for that and is generally perceived as taking an apolitical approach. The Washington Post pointed out he’s not alone among network comedians in handling Trump cautiously.


This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

See More:

More in Technology

Podcasts
Are humanoid robots all hype?Are humanoid robots all hype?
Podcast
Podcasts

AI is making them better — but they’re not going to be doing your chores anytime soon.

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram
Future Perfect
The old tech that could help stop the next airborne pandemicThe old tech that could help stop the next airborne pandemic
Future Perfect

Glycol vapors, explained.

By Shayna Korol
Future Perfect
Elon Musk could lose his case against OpenAI — and still get what he wantsElon Musk could lose his case against OpenAI — and still get what he wants
Future Perfect

It’s not about who wins. It’s about the dirty laundry you air along the way.

By Sara Herschander
Life
Why banning kids from AI isn’t the answerWhy banning kids from AI isn’t the answer
Life

What kids really need in the age of artificial intelligence.

By Anna North
Culture
Anthropic owes authors $1.5B for pirating work — but the claims process is a Kafkaesque messAnthropic owes authors $1.5B for pirating work — but the claims process is a Kafkaesque mess
Culture

“Your AI monster ate all our work. Now you’re trying to pay us off with this piece of garbage that doesn’t work.”

By Constance Grady
Future Perfect
Some deaf children are hearing again because of a new gene therapySome deaf children are hearing again because of a new gene therapy
Future Perfect

A medical field that almost died is quietly fixing one disease at a time.

By Bryan Walsh