'Saturday Night Live' targets Trump administration, Pence over coronavirus response

NBC's "Saturday Night Live" took aim at the Trump administration for appointing Vice President Pence to lead its coronavirus response efforts.

© NBC 'Saturday Night Live' targets Trump administration, Pence over coronavirus response

In its latest cold open, the cast presented a mock press conference in the White House briefing room, with Pence addressing the administration's response. The skit also included a range of Democratic presidential candidates crashing the address and making comments about the deadly virus and how to combat it.

It began with Pence, played by Beck Bennett, introducing himself and noting that President Trump "put me in charge of the coronavirus, even though I don't believe in science."

"I have to admit, this disease has been quite a test of my faith. Just like dinosaur bones or Timothée Chalamet. But I'm prepared for the challenge," Bennett's Pence said before introducing Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson.

Carson, played by Kenan Thompson, then noted his credentials, calling himself the "brain surgeon they put in charge of house development."

"Well this is something I do know about, and rest assured, in my expert opinion, it's going to be bad," Thompson's Carson said, prompting Bennett's Pence to argue that there are precautions people can take. The comment prompted Thompson's Carson to urge people to acquire "Make America Great Again masks from the White House website," which are "made in Wuhan, China," a reference to the city where the disease originated.

The skit then moved into a mashup of appearances from Democratic presidential candidates, including former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, played by Fred Armisen.

"What are you doing here? How'd you get past security?" Bennett's Pence asked after opening the press conference for questions.

"Well, I just walked in coughing, and everybody got out of my way," Armisen's Bloomberg replied before pitching himself as someone who is "competent and capable," even if he "lacks charisma or ability to connect with human beings."

Kate McKinnon, playing Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), arrived moments later and confronted Bloomberg.

"Did you really think you were going to get away from me that easy?" she asked, a reference to her fierce criticism of Bloomberg at the Democratic debates. "This is my job now. I follow you around and make your life a living hell. I might be fifth in the polls, but I'm number one in your nightmares."

Former Vice President Joe Biden, played by this weekend's host, John Mulaney, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), played by Larry David, also made appearances at the press conference. At one point, David's Sanders quipped that a bottle of Purell said it kills 99.99 percent of germs.

"What happens to the top .01 percent? Why are we protecting them?" he asked.

The parody came following a week in which fears continued to mount in the U.S. and abroad over the outbreak of a coronavirus, which first originated in China and has since spread to more than 50 countries. U.S. health officials have warned that an outbreak in the country is likely inevitable.