Matt Damon revived his impression of Brett Kavanaugh in this week’s “Saturday Night Live” cold open. The Supreme Court justice hit the bar with Colin Jost’s Pete Hegseth and Aziz Ansari’s Kash Patel.
“Saturday Night Live” kicked off its May 9 episode with a surprise: Damon, the evening’s host, reprised his role as the Supreme Court justice in the cold open.
The sketch took place at a bar in Washington, D.C., where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (played by Colin Jost) entered so he could drink while avoiding work colleagues, “because none of Trump’s people like drinking as much as I do.”
“Wrong!” Damon’s Kavanaugh declared as he barged in, wearing his robe and telling Hegseth he “figured I was going to find you here” because he “saw all the women covering their drinks.”
Kavanaugh and Hegseth were depicted as two party-loving peas in a pod in the sketch. Jost’s Hegseth bragged that he “started a war,” while Damon’s Kavanaugh boasted that he “ended abortion,” adding, “Your body, my choice!”
Damon famously spoofed Kavanaugh on “SNL” in 2018 when the show parodied the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court.
Eventually, a third drinking buddy walked into the bar: Aziz Ansari’s FBI Director Kash Patel. The “Parks and Recreation” actor debuted the impersonation in the May 2 cold open.
“Seriously, we’re all living the American dream,” Ansari’s Patel said. “I’m the first person in my family to go to college − parties, many years after graduating.”
Damon’s Kavanaugh then let the others in on a secret: “We’re going to let Trump do a third term,” he said, explaining that even though this is unconstitutional, President Donald Trump “found the original Constitution, and at the end, he wrote, ‘Psych!’ ”
Recent episodes of “SNL” have generally begun with James Austin Johnson playing the president, but this was the second consecutive cold open to not feature him. Last week’s “SNL” similarly focused on Jost as Hegseth and Ansari as Patel, but Johnson’s Trump did not make an appearance.
Damon hosted the May 9 episode of “SNL,” marking his third time serving as “SNL” host but first time since 2018. Noah Kahan was the musical guest.
The “SNL” episode that airs on Mother’s Day weekend has often acknowledged the holiday by having mothers of the cast members participate in the opening. But in his monologue, Damon explained why the show was skipping that this time.
“Normally, ‘SNL’ flies all the cast’s moms in for the show, first class, no expense spared,” he said. “Apparently, that was going to happen again this year, but then Spirit Airlines shut down. So for all of you waiting to see the cast’s moms, I’m sorry, it ain’t happening tonight.”
There was an exception, though: Marcello Hernandez’s mom made a cameo in the audience alongside the comedian, as part of a bit where an audience member was weirdly interested in meeting her.
In his monologue, Damon also joked about the fact that he’s on “SNL” plugging his upcoming movie “The Odyssey” quite early because the show will be on hiatus when the film opens on July 17.
“I have a new movie coming out,” he said. “It’s called ‘The Odyssey,’ and it is in theaters not this weekend, not next weekend, but nine weekends from now.”
Who’s hosting ‘SNL’ next week?
Damon’s “SNL” was the penultimate episode of “SNL” Season 51. The show’s season finale is scheduled for next Saturday, May 16. Former cast member Will Ferrell will return to host for the sixth time with musical guest Paul McCartney.
“SNL” will then go on summer hiatus, with new episodes returning in the fall.