'Biden' gets advice from TikTok influencers in new SNL cold open


Saturday Night Live's most recent cold open featured President Biden (James Austin Johnson) and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki (Kate McKinnon) asking a group of TikTok stars for advice on how to handle the war in Ukraine.
This sketch might sound absurd, but it has a basis in reality. On Thursday, the real Psaki joined with officials from the National Security Council to brief "approximately 30 creators who have been covering Russia's invasion of Ukraine on their social media channels," CNN reported.
The cold open began with Johnson-as-Biden welcoming the influencers to the meeting and thanking "Psaki" for suggesting it.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"I suggested it as a joke and then it actually happened," McKinnon-as-Psaki said.
"People are saying this is the first war fought on TikTok," Johnson-as-Biden continued, "which is tough for me because I'm the landline of presidents … I understand [Russian President Vladimir] Putin … but there's one thing I don't understand: computer."
"He means 'technology,' but he says 'computer,'" McKinnon-as-Psaki explained before "Biden" interjected, "Computer very mean to me!"
The influencers then offered their suggestions for winning the information war against Russia. "Actress from the CW" (Chloe Fineman) suggested defeating Putin with the power of poetry.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
"Oh, no. It's that girl," McKinnon-as-Psaki said, referring to actress AnnaLynne McCord. Last month, McCord posted a video of herself reciting a poem in which she bizarrely claimed that if she had been Putin's mother, he would not have invaded Ukraine.
When asked for other suggestions, "Actress" touted "Five Ways to Stop the War in Ukraine" and then began dancing and pointing to empty air.
"I think she's expecting text to show up," McKinnon-as-Psaki said.
Other influencers who offered solutions included a rapper/prankster (Andrew Dismukes), singer Jason Derulo (Chris Redd), and a 12-year-old girl (Aidy Bryant) who does "silly animal make-up for kids" and also, surprisingly, is a right-wing conspiracy theorist who believes the war in Ukraine was started by Hunter Biden.
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies