'Aaron Rodgers' stars in Russian propaganda in new SNL cold open


In the most recent Saturday Night Live cold open, a military officer and two White House advisors (Kenan Thompson, Alex Moffat, and Ego Nwodim) assembled in the Oval Office to brief President Biden (James Austin Johnson) on the crisis in Ukraine.
"We're even getting some reports that Russia has already invaded, but those are from the same people who said Tom Brady retired," Nwodim said.
ESPN announced Saturday that seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady had decided to retire after 22 seasons, but other sources — including Brady's own father — quickly contradicted the story in statements to The Associated Press and other reporters. Brady, they said, has not yet made up his mind.
Subscribe to 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.
Moffat and Nwodim went on to explain that, in addition to Russia's military threat, Ukraine has also been inundated with Russian disinformation. They came prepared with a slide show of examples.
"Ukrainian President Horny for Drama, Wants War: 'Slap Me Harder, Daddy,'" one farcical headline read.
Next up was, "Neil Young To Remove Music from Spotify Unless Ukraine Surrenders," a reference to the "Cortez the Killer" singer's ultimatum forcing the streaming service to choose between Neil Young and Joe Rogan, who Young accused of spreading COVID-19 misinformation.
Russia's "disinformation campaign" also included a TV ad starring NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers (Pete Davidson). The real Rodgers floated the possibility of retirement after a Jan. 22 loss to the 49ers ended his season.
"Oh no! I am American balltoss player Aaron Rodgers, and my car has broken down in Ukraine," Davidson-as-Rodgers said with a thick Eastern European accent. To save himself, he sang a version of the State Farm jingle: "Like a good neighbor, Russia is there!"
As an agent (Chris Redd) appeared to rescue Rodgers, the State Farm logo appeared on the screen, revealing State Farm's Russian name to be Колхоз, a term referring to Soviet-era collectivized agriculture.
SNL writer Colin Jost studied Russian literature at Harvard.
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.
-
Today's political cartoons - April 20, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - Pam Bondi, retirement planning, and more
By The Week US
-
5 heavy-handed cartoons about ICE and deportation
Cartoons Artists take on international students, the Supreme Court, and more
By The Week US
-
Exploring the three great gardens of Japan
The Week Recommends Beautiful gardens are 'the stuff of Japanese landscape legends'
By The Week UK
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contempt
Speed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Biden slams Trump's Social Security cuts
Speed Read In his first major public address since leaving office, Biden criticized the Trump administration's 'damage' and 'destruction'
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
El Salvador refuses to return US deportee
Speed Read President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador said he would not send back the unlawfully deported Kilmar Ábrego García
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump says electronics tariff break won't last
Speed Read The tariff exemptions on smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices are temporary, the administration says
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Man charged in arson attack on Pennsylvania's Shapiro
Speed Read Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were sleeping when someone set fire to his Harrisburg mansion
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
White House pushes for oversight of Columbia University
Speed Read The Trump administration is considering placing the school under a consent decree
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Supreme Court backs wrongly deported migrant
Speed Read The Trump administration must 'facilitate' the return of wrongfully deported migrant Kilmar Ábrego García from El Salvador, Supreme Court says
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Two judges bar war-powers deportations
Speed Read The Trump administration was blocked from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport more alleged Venezuelan gang members
By Peter Weber, The Week US