James Talarico Crashes ‘SNL’ Cold Open: ‘I’m the Guy Who’s Been Texting You Every Day Asking for $5’

Texas Senator James Talarico made a surprise appearance in the opening sketch of “Saturday Night Live”, joking about the programme’s repeated sketches featuring Donald Trump freezing the action to speak at length. The appearance followed Talarico’s election win and echoed the sketch’s wider theme of Democratic gains and calls for a new generation of leaders.

The sketch featured James Austin Johnson as Trump, alongside performers playing Democratic leaders and JD Vance, with jokes about the election, the economy and Trump’s plans for a White House ballroom. Talarico won 55.09% of the vote against Ken Paxton, flipping the Texas Senate seat to the Democrats for the first time since 1988. Druski hosted the episode, becoming the first online content creator to host the show, with The Strokes as musical guests.