SNL's Fauci hosts vaccination eligibility game show in latest cold open

Kate McKinnon.
(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/NBC)

To counter some of the more confusing aspects of COVID-19 vaccination eligibility in the United States, Saturday Night Live's version of Dr. Anthony Fauci, portrayed by Kate McKinnon, hosted a game show in which "everyday Americans" receive a chance to vie for a shot. The judges of "So You Think You Can Get the Vaccine" were a trio of governors — California's Gavin Newsom, New York's Andrew Cuomo, and Michigan's Gretchen Whitmer (played by Alex Moffatt, Pete Davidson, and Cecily Strong, respectively).

The show got off to a rough start. Among the first few contestants were a woman pretending to be much older than she was, a fake smoker, and Aidy Bryant's Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex), who appeared more focused on delivering a standup comedy routine than getting vaccinated. Finally, a serious candidate who met all the requirements was given the nod of approval from the governors, but it turned out it was all for naught when they told him he'd have to go make an appointment online like everyone else. Watch the full clip below. Tim O'Donnell

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.