'Biden' gets advice from TikTok influencers in new SNL cold open
![Saturday Night Live cast](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QWMzgwtYSu3TmfWFryZEqK-415-80.jpg)
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.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
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.
"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.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
The lab-made meat that 'could kill the EU'
Under The Radar Concerned at 'unintended consequences for farming' some farmers are 'turning rabid' over the rise of cultured meat
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Magazine solutions - August 2, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - August 2, 2024
By The Week Staff Published
-
Magazine printables - August 2, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - August 2, 2024
By The Week Staff Published
-
Netanyahu makes controversial address
Speed Reads Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress denounced Gaza war protestors
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Menendez convicted of bribery, fraud, and extortion
Speed Read The New Jersey Democratic Senator was found guilty in a federal corruption trial
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida judge dismisses Trump documents case
Speed Read Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Hamas says military chief survived Israeli strike
Speed Read An Israeli bombing failed to hit its intended target, military commander Mohammed Deif, but killed at least 90 Palestinians
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US and Germany foil Russian assassination plot
Speed Read The target was the CEO of Rheinmetall, which has been making weapons for Ukraine
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
First Israeli report on Oct. 7 finds 'severe mistakes and errors' in IDF response
Speed Reads Israeli military admits failures in response to deadly Hamas attack that triggered Gaza war
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published