Saturday Night Live returned to politics for this week’s cold open after a one-episode, Domingo-induced break, parodying a New York City mayoral debate between Zohran Mamdani, Curtis Sliwa and Andrew Cuomo.
Ramy Youssef stepped in as Democratic frontrunner Mamdani, Shane Gillis portrayed Republican contender Sliwa, and host Miles Teller played independent candidate Cuomo.
The sketch opened with Youssef’s Mamdani introducing himself to voters—“I’m ready to spend the next hour hearing my opponents pronounce my name in ways you couldn’t begin to imagine”—before flashing a too-wide grin “that physically hurts my face.”
The debate quickly descended into a stream of punchlines and New York in-jokes. There was a bagel-order lightning round (Youssef’s Mamdani: “I’d like the person serving me that bagel to be paid a living wage”), a cameo from an overeager Eric Adams, and faux sponsors like bike lanes and Hudson Yards.
But it wouldn’t be a political cold open without Donald Trump—and true to form, James Austin Johnson’s Trump ultimately barged in, declaring, “It’s me!” and insisting the election was really about him.
Trump mocked each of the candidates, teasing Sliwa’s “Emily in Paris hat,” calling Mamdani “too young to lead,” and boasting about his “perfect” cognitive test before breaking into “The Music of the Night” from The Phantom of the Opera and leading the group in the signature closer: “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!”
With New York City’s general election set for this Tuesday, frontrunner Mamdani’s progressive platform has drawn headlines far beyond the five boroughs — and, yes, has caught Donald Trump’s attention. The president recently blasted Mamdani as “a 100 percent Communist lunatic” on social media, framing the race as a referendum on the city’s political identity just days before voters head to the polls.
Youssef and Gillis are no strangers to Studio 8H. Youssef previously hosted in Season 49, while Gillis — briefly hired and dismissed as a cast member before ever appearing on air — has gone on to host twice, in Seasons 49 and 50.
“I have GOOD BRAIN. I took a cognitive test. I had such a great cognitive test, they gave me an MRI!” 😆