Ketanji Brown Jackson gets advice from Harriet Tubman in new SNL cold open

Saturday Night Live celebrated the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in its newest cold open.
The scene began with Jackson (Ego Nwodim) and President Biden (James Austin Johnson) standing in the Oval Office ahead of Friday's reception for the new justice, who was confirmed Thursday in a 53-47 vote.
"Your speech was terrific Ketanji," Johnson-as-Biden said, stumbling over her name. "Sorry. I mean, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson."
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.
"Bet you can't say that three times fast," Nwodim-as-Jackson quipped.
"I'm shocked I was able to say it one time slow," Johnson-as-Biden said, adding that he had fulfilled his campaign promise to appoint a Black woman to the Supreme Court, which means "one campaign promise down and only 74 to go."
"Well, I was happy to do my part," Nwodim-as-Jackson said. "Work twice as hard as a white man my entire life, and then spend a week listening to Ted Cruz call me a pedophile."
Biden then left Jackson alone in the Oval Office, advising her to "feel the weight of history" and "imagine talking to all the great Americans who came before."
Left to her reveries, Jackson conjured up visions of Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg (Kate McKinnon) and Thurgood Marshall (Kenan Thompson), baseball star Jackie Robinson (Chris Redd), and anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman (Punkie Johnson).
"What're we doing in the White House? Did we get in trouble?" the abolitionist asked. Nwodim's Jackson explained that, thanks to the bravery of women like Tubman, she was now a Supreme Court justice.
"I like that," said Tubman.
"I have a seat at the table," added Jackson.
"I like that," said Tubman.
"And I'm going to have this job for the rest of my life!" the new justice concluded.
"Don't like that. Sounds like a trap," said Tubman, adding that Jackson should "light two candles and meet me in the farmhouse at midnight" if she wants out.
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.
-
UK-India trade deal: how the social security arrangements will work
The Explainer A National Insurance exemption in the UK-India trade deal is causing concern but should British workers worry?
-
Man arrested after 'suspicious' fires at properties linked to Keir Starmer
Speed Read Prime minister thanks emergency services after fire at his former family home in north London
-
Elon Musk's SpaceX has created a new city in Texas
under the radar Starbase is home to SpaceX's rocket launch site
-
Qatar luxury jet gift clouds Trump trip to Mideast
speed read Qatar is said to be presenting Trump with a $400 million plane, which would be among the biggest foreign gifts ever received by the US government
-
Trump taps Fox News' Pirro for DC attorney post
speed read The president has named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to be the top federal prosecutor for Washington, replacing acting US Attorney Ed Martin
-
Trump, UK's Starmer outline first post-tariff deal
speed read President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Kier Starmer struck a 'historic' agreement to eliminate some of the former's imposed tariffs
-
Fed leaves rates unchanged as Powell warns on tariffs
speed read The Federal Reserve says the risks of higher inflation and unemployment are increasing under Trump's tariffs
-
Denmark to grill US envoy on Greenland spying report
speed read The Trump administration ramped up spying on Greenland, says reporting by The Wall Street Journal
-
Supreme Court allows transgender troop ban
speed read The US Supreme Court will let the Trump administration begin executing its ban on transgender military service members
-
Hollywood confounded by Trump's film tariff idea
speed read President Trump proposed a '100% tariff' on movies 'produced in foreign lands'
-
Trump offers migrants $1,000 to 'self-deport'
speed read The Department of Homeland Security says undocumented immigrants can leave the US in a more 'dignified way'