The Republican nomination for the White House seems to be leaning toward former President Donald Trump. However, his legal challenges have highlighted his need for a robust legal defense rather than positioning him as a confident front-runner.
“Saturday Night Live” recently poked fun at Trump’s legal troubles, focusing on the criticism of his attorney, Alina Habba, during the Manhattan federal court trial determining damages for defamation against author E. Jean Carroll.
In reality, Judge Lewis Kaplan criticized Habba’s courtroom skills, particularly when she inquired about Carroll’s income, leading him to remark, “Come on, this is Evidence 101!”
On the SNL stage, Chloe Fineman, playing Habba, admitted, “I am new at this, and I am learning.” The sketch featured James Austin Johnson as a meandering and seemingly untroubled Trump, who, after facing legal challenges regarding his assets and involvement in the 2020 election certification, claimed to have exhausted his options for capable legal representation.
On ‘Saturday Night Live,’ James Austin Johnson’s portrayal of Donald Trump expresses dissatisfaction with his legal team during courtroom struggles (Credits: The Hollywood Reporter)
Referring to Kaplan’s real-life admonishment of Trump’s unfiltered comments during the trial, Johnson’s version of Trump pledged to show respect in court, stating, “I will not be saying the judge is an idiot.”
The comedic portrayal also touched on the former president’s acknowledgment that his chances of a second term depended on an aging demographic of voters. In a tongue-in-cheek moment, he expressed the need for them to stay alive until November, saying, “Just pull that lever and drop dead.”
The SNL episode also featured a pop culture crossover, with Rachel McAdams introducing the musical guest Reneé Rapp, who portrayed the lead character in the 2024 musical adaptation of “Mean Girls,” in which McAdams played the lead bully in the 2004 movie.
Shifting gears, the comedy show addressed the serious incident involving Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 on January 5. Instead of focusing on federal investigations into the Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft’s hardware, SNL imagined a humorous television spot that reassured travelers about the airline’s safety and injected entertainment into the situation.
Host Jacob Elordi, playing an Alaska crew member, humorously declared, “Alaska Airlines: You didn’t die, and you got a cool story,” while Heidi Gardner, dressed as a fellow crew member, added a light touch, assuring viewers that the bolts holding the plane together would be tightened.
