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Jason Sudeikis Returns as ‘2013 Biden’ in ‘SNL’ Cold Open

Joe Otterson
·3-min read

Jason Sudeikis reprised the role of Vice President Joe Biden in the “Saturday Night Live” cold open alongside James Austin Johnson’s President Joe Biden.

President Biden lamented the “ice cold Psaki bomb” that his recent CNN town hall received very low viewership while his approval rating was down singnificantly. “I don’t understand,” he said. “People used to like me. The press would call me ‘Uncle Joe.’ I miss the old me. Where the hell did that guy go?”

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That’s when Sudeikis’ Vice President Biden from 2013 joined the proceedings, with Sudeikis having played Biden during his time on the show before departing in 2013. He referred to being Vice President as the “easiest gig in the world. We’re like America’s whacky neighbor. Just pop in with an ice cream cone, some aviator shades, do finger guns. You know, shake a few hands, rub a few shoulders.”

“Well you can’t do that anymore,” President Biden said. When the VP asked him which, rubbing shoulders or shaking hands, the President told him, “Both.”

Later, during his opening monologue, Sudeikis talked about his success since leaving the NBC sketch series eight years ago, namely his hit Apple TV series “Ted Lasso.” “It somehow became a hit,” he said. “Which is surprising, because it’s built around two things Americans hate — soccer and kindness.”

Things took a more poignant turn as Sudeikis reminded the audience of the incredible history that has been made on the “SNL” stage, naming several famous sketches, comedy icons, and musical superstars that have all graced the halls of Studio 8H. He went on to say that the show changed his life twice: “Once as a cast member and once as a kid watching at home.”

“There’s a good chance that if you’re watching tonight, there’s probably something from this place that changed your life, too,” he continued. ““And I’ll tell you this. If this is your first time watching the show, well I mean, this one probably won’t change your life. But we’ve got a great show!”

Other sketches in the episode featured Sudeikis as a science teacher in an educational video trying to explain gravity to two students completely incapable of learning, as well as a taped segment about a new daytime talk show for men starring Sudeikis as “Mellen.” He then played Ricky, an employee of Daddy Warbucks from “Annie” who reveals over the course of a musical number that he provides human meat to Daddy Warbucks and several of his rich friends. He played a teacher again later on, this time an elementary school teacher who gets more than familiar with his student’s mother (played by Ego Nwodim) during a parent-teacher conference.

Sudeikis then made an appearance at the “Weekend Update” desk as The Devil, commenting on how he plans to make the next few years as bad as the past few years. “I’ve been making things up here feel more like, where I’m from,” he said. “You ever been to Florida? That’s not that different from hell. It’s pre-hell…Florida is where I beta test a lot of my ideas.”

Kenan Thompson once again proved himself to be a standout for the night with a new edition of “What’s Up With That” featuring Oscar Isaac, Emily Ratajkowski, and Nicholas Braun.

Sudeikis was joined by musical guest Brandi Carlile, who first performed her song “Broken Horses” followed by “Right on Time” later in the show.

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