Saturday Night Live jumped right into the top story this week: the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the internet’s obsession with his killer.
The NBC sketch comedy show kicked off its cold open spoofing Nancy Grace’s show Crime Storieswhere she dives deep into shocking crimes. And the crime that has been dominating the news this week was the murder of the insurance company CEO. Thompson was shot and killed in midtown Manhattan on Dec. 4, and after a multiday manhunt, his killer, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, was arrested on Dec. 9 in Pennsylvania. He has been charged with murder and is currently fighting extradition to New York City.
“The masked CEO shooter has been unmasked and guess what? It’s game over, Luigi,” Sarah Sherman’s Nancy Grace says. “And of course, everyone online celebrated the hard work of law enforcement in apprehending this dangerous criminal. Just kidding, y’all suckas made him a sex symbol. That’s right, the healthcare assassin Luigi Mangione has got women and gay guys alike hot and bothered.”
Since Mangione’s photo was revealed to the public, social media has been in a frenzy over his appearance, leading to a controversial debate as he’s charged with a serious crime.
Sherman’s Nancy continued, “I mean, seriously? This guy looks like Dave Franco with Eugene Levy’s eyebrows. I mean, what is going on in this country? Y’all, this man is not a sex icon, OK? This man is, and I cannot say this any clearer, a MURDER!”
She later brought out a man, Kenan Thompson’s Darnell Davis, who was at the Pennsylvania McDonald’s where Mangione was ultimately arrested.
“Now, Darnell, you were face to face with this criminal. Can you believe people are attracted to this sexy slayer?” Sherman’s Nancy asks.
I mean, you could look at him and tell he had hoes. Women love bad boys,” Thompson quips. “You know, back in the day you could impress your old lady with a little poem. Now you gotta write a manifesto.”
Sherman’s Nancy lastly interviews “someone who has been affected closely by the story”: a guy who looks similar to Mangione.
“This whole thing’s been a roller coaster for me,” Emil Wakim says. “On one hand, I keep getting tackled by bounty hunters, but on the other hand, I’ve gotten some of the horniest DMs of my life. I mean, I haven’t paid for a meal in Brooklyn in days.”
The SNL cold open also mocked the jarring experience of watching a YouTube video and ad breaks hit mid-sentence.
Chris Rock also returned to host the sketch comedy show for the fourth time. The actor-comedian was previously a castmember from 1990 to 1993, and also hosted in 1996, 2014 and 2020.
He is joined with Gracie Abrams who is making her SNL debut as musical guest.
More to come.
