In SNL cold open, 'Fauci' presents COVID Christmas showcase

Kate McKinnon played Dr. Anthony Fauci in the latest Saturday Night Live cold open, providing public service announcements for dealing with the Omicron variant with a little help — or hindrance — from Sen. Ted Cruz (Aidy Bryant), Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Cecily Strong) and Lauren Boebert (Chloe Fineman), and the Cuomo brothers (Pete Davidson as Andrew and Andrew Dismukes as Chris).

"Do people still think I'm sexy, or are we done with that?" McKinnon-as-Fauci asked before explaining that the new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus is not as dangerous as was initially feared and that those who have been vaccinated and boosted can safely "unclench."

"Fauci" then called up several "CDC employees" to act out how to handle various holiday scenarios, including a mall Santa who would not allow children to sit on his lap because (as Nicki Minaj claimed happened to her cousin's friend) his testicles had become swollen after taking the vaccine.

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The "Cuomos" showed up to blame the loss of their jobs on COVID, followed by "Greene" and "Boebert," who held AR-15s. "The government's been using this 'fight disease' to strip us of our freedom. Do they think we're dumb?" Strong-as-Greene asked.

"Please!" Fineman-as-Boebert responded. "Would they give a dumb person a gun?"

Bryant-as-Cruz rounded out the cold open: "If you're sick of seeing me, imagine how sick I am of being me," said "Cruz." Watch below.