Remember when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other leaders were caught on camera apparently making candid comments about U.S. President Donald Trump during a NATO event at Buckingham Palace? Saturday Night Live certainly does.
“Some dismissed it as petty high school gossip but you should’ve seen what happened in the NATO cafeteria,” says a voiceover.
The latest SNL cold open was a riff on that imaginary scenario. The episode opener featured Jimmy Fallon as Trudeau, Paul Rudd as French president Emmanuel Macron and James Corden as U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The three played the cool kids who wouldn’t let Trump — played by Alec Baldwin — sit at their table despite there being a clearly empty seat.
As Fallon and Rudd comb their hair aggressively, Corden musses up his own blonde locks in an effort to fit in. Rudd, playing Macron, quips about getting a bit of wine with their lunch — “We are bad boys” — before hissing at the table to be quiet as Trump approaches.
“Did you see him speak for 45 minutes the other day?” Rudd asks, in character as the French president. “It was just supposed to be for a photo.”
Trump, played by Baldwin, eventually asks if the seat is taken: “I’m Boris’ friend, right Boris?” to which Corden’s British PM replies “Don’t make this harder than it already is, I’m hanging out with these guys now.”
Once Trump’s back is turned and he sits at what he calls “the loser table,” the cool kids seem to make fun of him.
“Did you hear him talk about climate change the other day?” Rudd as Macron says. “He said we need stronger toilets!”
The high school clique vibes continued as an overjoyed German chancellor Angela Merkel — played by SNL cast member Kate McKinnon — is invited to fill the fourth seat.
“Is this happening?” she wonders. “Am I actually about to sit at the cool kids’ table?”
They then pin a sign saying “Impeach me!” on Baldwin’s back when he’s not looking.
The skit ends when everyone freezes in place and Cecily Strong, in character as Trump’s wife Melania, takes the stage to deliver an anti-bullying message that somehow also manages to reference a recent viral Peloton ad.
“Are you scared woman trapped inside a mansion? Why not imagine biking away from it all?” she quips.