Saturday Night Live launched its 51st season with a bold and edgy opening, blending dark humor and political satire. The host, Will Ferrell, took on the role of the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein, the infamous figure shrouded in scandal, returning from beyond the grave to taunt former President Donald Trump.
The sketch opened with cast member James Austin Johnson portraying Trump, comfortably seated in the Oval Office, before dozing off into a dreamlike state. Suddenly, Ferrell appeared, embodying Epstein with gray hair and chains, ready to make a spectral visit to his “best friend.”
In a twist of dark comedy, Johnson’s Trump expressed delighted surprise upon seeing Ferrell as Epstein’s ghost. However, the encounter quickly turned sour as Trump lamented his plummeting approval ratings, now sinking to the 30s.
Epstein, with a characteristic wit, quipped, “30s? Gross – call me when it hits 17,” adding a chilling layer of satire to the exchange.
Trump, unfazed by the macabre reunion, inquired, “It’s dark, very dark, dark situation. So what are you up to these days, Jeff? How’s heaven?” To which Epstein dryly responded, “It’s really, really hot,” delivering a punchline that underscored the skit’s audacious tone.
‘It’s dark, very dark, dark situation. So what are you up to these days, Jeff? How’s heaven?’ the president asked, to which Epstein replied: ‘It’s really, really hot.’
When asked about his summer plans, Johnson’s Trump said he would be at the World Cup, hosting the Patriot Games for American high schoolers and attending a UFC fight on the White House lawn like he’s ‘white trash on Worldstar.’
The president then asked Epstein’s ghost for a high five, which generated the sordid punch line, ‘You know what, this time, I’m going to leave you hanging,’ referencing the financier’s suicide in his jail cell.
Will Ferrell hosted SNL’s 51st season finale on Saturday night, opening the show as Epstein’s ghost alongside James Austin Johnson’s Trump, pictured above
In the skit, Epstein’s ghost showed Trump a series of fortunes for the future, including what is in store for his administration
Colin Jost and Aziz Ansari portrayed Pete Hegseth and Kash Patel on a podcast smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol, pictured above
Epstein’s ghost then revealed a series of ‘visions’ for the future of the Trump administration, which featured former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as a presenter on the Home Shopping Network and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth smoking marijuana on a podcast with FBI Director Kash Patel.
The comedians referenced the Daily Mail’s exclusive on Noem’s husband cross-dressing as a ‘busty bimbo,’ setting up a line about how ‘crazy’ the Trump administration is.
Colin Jost reprised his role as Pete Hegseth, portraying the secretary as a drunken frat boy alongside Aziz Ansari’s incompetent Kash Patel.
Jost’s Hegseth said he was podcasting to promote his new ‘hard water’ product, ‘Poland Sprung.’
Epstein’s ghost had one last fortune to reveal – the US came in second after the war in Iran.
Farrell then issued a blistering message to Trump, telling the president: ‘Donny, just remember: no matter how many wars you start, or how bad you tank the economy as a distraction, people will always associate you with me. And that, my dear friend, is a beautiful thing.’
The two then broke out into song, performing a duet of Bill Withers’ 1981 hit, Just the Two of Us.
The skit left viewers in shock. Some fans found the humor in the dark opening, others claimed it was insensitive to Epstein’s real victims, while MAGA die-hards slammed the show for portraying Trump’s relationship with the infamous pedophile.
The controversial skit generated mixed reactions from viewers
Cast member Ashley Padilla portrayed Kristi Noem as a presenter on the Home Shopping Network, pictured above
The cold open slammed Trump for his reported friendship with disgraced pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The president is pictured above with Melania Trump, Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000
‘Nothing funny about Epstein ever,’ one viewer commented.
‘I don’t know how to feel about this opening. I don’t wanna laugh in honor of the victims but also I wanna laugh cuz of Poland Sprung and the fact this will piss off people so much it will remind people to not stop talking about it,’ another added.
‘SO brave… SO creative… SNL running on woke fantasy fumes in their season finale…’ wrote a third.
However, some praised the cold open with one posting on X: ‘Donald Trump and Ghost of Jeffrey Epstein singing “just the two of us” was truly a laugh out loud moment.’
Trump and Epstein frequently crossed paths and reportedly had a close friendship in New York during the 90s and early 2000s.
Trump has appeared thousands of times in the public files related to the Department of Justice’s investigation into Epstein’s sex crimes.
The controversial cold open concluded SNL’s 51st season, which included a slew of skits skewering the Trump administration.
