New Delhi: After actor Tom Hanks hosted the first-ever remote episode of Saturday Night Live, the second lockdown episode of the live sketch comedy show starred fellow Oscar-winner Brad Pitt. The actor played renowned disease specialist and immunologist Dr Anthony Fauci, who has been the face of US President Donald Trump’s Covid-19 task force and has addressed daily press briefings regarding the virus.
In an earlier interview with CNN, Fauci said that he would like to see Brad Pitt playing him and Saturday Night Live gave him exactly that.
Apart from Pitt, the late night American show also had other noted artistes, such as actors Adam Sandler and Paul Rudd and comedian Pete Davidson, who appeared as themselves, with Sandler and Davidson rapping. Miley Cyrus sang a Pink Floyd song.
The show was slated for a break after 7 March, but that has been extended because of the coronavirus pandemic.The show then resumed on 12 April with Hanks hosting a remote episode – the first since the show began to air in 1975. The second episode saw Pitt making an appearance on the show after 20 years.
Pitt as Fauci
Dressed as the disease specialist and imitating his gravelly voice, Pitt, as Fauci, tried breaking down some of Donald Trump’s outlandish statements.
Earlier Trump had said in an interview that “Anybody who needs a test gets a test. And the tests are beautiful.” Referring to that on the show, Pitt said, “I don’t know if I would describe the test as beautiful, unless your idea of beauty is having a cotton swab tickle your brain. Also when he said everyone can get a test, what he meant was almost no one.”
When Trump said he would have vaccines for Covid-19 relatively soon, Pitt said, “Relative to the entire history of earth, sure the vaccine is going to come real fast.” And finally regarding Trump’s suggestion that Covid-19 might be treated with an injection of disinfectant, the actor just held his face in disbelief.
And now, a message from Dr. Anthony Fauci. #SNLAtHome pic.twitter.com/LYemNAWaAT
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) April 26, 2020
Pitt ended his act by removing his wig and saying, “To the real Dr Fauci, thank you for your calm and clarity in this unnerving time.” And then he went on to thank medical workers, first responders and their families for their services.
Trump to possibly discontinue daily Covid-19 press briefings
Meanwhile, following the backlash over his comments on treating people with disinfectants, Trump hinted that he might discontinue his daily media briefings. He said it was not worth his “time and effort”. He added that he was misrepresented and went on to call the media “lamestream” and “hostile”.
Oh, that was fun to watch.