“Saturday Night Live” (SNL) took aim at the recent State of the Union address, particularly focusing its satirical lens on the Republican response delivered by Senator Katie Britt of Alabama. Senator Britt’s address, which had previously drawn criticism online for its dramatic shifts in tone, became the fodder for an SNL sketch featuring actress Scarlett Johansson in a surprise appearance. Johansson’s portrayal of Britt was both comedic and pointed, adding a layer of humor to the political discourse surrounding the event.
In the sketch, Johansson, as Senator Britt, greets the nation with a satirical monologue titled “This Country is Hell,” positioning herself as a “wife, mother, and the craziest b***h in the Target parking lot.” The spoof emphasizes the senator’s dramatic presentation during her response to the State of the Union, poking fun at her emotional appeal and sudden changes in demeanor.
Johansson’s Britt humorously explains her setting in a “strange, empty kitchen,” a nod to the attempt to appeal to women voters, and quips about spending time in the kitchen with her husband, worrying about the country’s future. The skit amplifies the original address’s oddities, including an abrupt pivot to a “shockingly violent story about sex trafficking,” highlighting the sketch’s critique of the senator’s storytelling choices.
Further adding to the humor, Johansson’s version of Britt attempts to sell a “gorgeous bejeweled cross necklace” during her speech, parodying a home shopping network segment. This moment, alongside references to bizarre mannerisms and an allusion to the film “Get Out,” serves to underline the comedic take on the senator’s televised address.
The sketch concludes with Johansson’s Britt delivering a parody of some of Senator Britt’s real closing remarks, with added absurdities such as claiming to “smell” and “see” the American people, and comically suggesting that migrants are hiding in the viewer’s fridge. This SNL cold open not only entertains but also provides a satirical critique of political performances, using humor to comment on the state of American politics.