Returning host Matt Damon reprised his famous role as Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in the latest Saturday Night Live cold open.
Damon first appeared as Kavanaugh in the cold open of a September 2018 episode. Damon played Kavanaugh in the aftermath of the judge’s contentious confirmation hearing.
The real-life Kavanaugh had been heavily questioned over sexual assault allegations made against him, as well as claims that he was a heavy drinker.
In 2018, Damon portrayed Kavanaugh as angry and hysterical; in this week’s cold open, Kavanaugh was happily hanging out in a bar with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, played once again by Colin Jost.
“Pistol Pete,” Damon’s Kavanaugh said. “I kind of figured I was going to find you here.”
“Oh, did I include you on a Signal chat by accident?” Jost’s Hegseth asked.
Kavanaugh replied, “No, I just saw all the women covering their drinks!”
Hegseth, who was questioned in his own confirmation hearing about his alleged heavy drinking habits, happily replied, “It’s just great that we share that.”
Damon’s Kavanaugh reflected fondly on the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in late April to essentially gut the Voting Rights Act, which had restricted state legislators’ ability to gerrymander along racial lines.
To celebrate, SNL’s Kavanaugh showed off a drawing of “a new voting district that I approved in Tennessee.”
The drawing was of a parody of Tennessee Republicans’ real proposed congressional map, released shortly after the Supreme Court issued its decision.
Kavanaugh admitted that the drawing was actually of a field sobriety test: “They told me to draw a circle,” he said.
Aziz Ansari also reprised his role as FBI Director Kash Patel.
“Check this out,” Patel said. “I made my own FBI bourbon with my name on it.”
The line referenced a report from The Atlantic that Patel travels with bottles of Woodford Reserve engraved with the words “Kash Patel FBI Director.”
Turning directly to the audience, Ansari’s Patel said, “Yes, somehow this is a real thing that I, the FBI director, have made. This is real.”
