SNL Roasts Kavanaugh and Kash Patel in Latest Cold Open, Unmasking Trump’s Third Term Fantasy

Saturday Night Live’s Season 51 cold open wastes no time skewering the Trump administration’s most notorious figures, with Matt Damon reprising his role as Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Aziz Ansari returning as FBI Director Kash Patel. Set in a Washington DC bar, the sketch paints a grimly hilarious picture of the toxic male camaraderie that fueled some of the darkest abuses of the Trump era.

Kavanaugh and a dudebro character played by Colin Jost bond over their shared legacy of warmongering and stripping away reproductive rights, highlighting the administration’s destructive policies with biting humor. The sketch doesn’t shy away from the toxic masculinity that underpinned much of the Trump team’s inner circle — Kavanaugh even laments “male loneliness” before Patel enters, signaling the only men who “can hang” with them.

Ansari’s Kash Patel is portrayed as a sycophantic enabler, complete with a personalized whiskey bottle and the kind of juvenile antics that betray the childishness behind his role in politicizing the FBI. The sketch includes a sharp jab at Patel’s personal life, underscoring the absurdity of his public persona.

The punchline lands when Kavanaugh reveals Trump’s “big secret”: he’s found the original Constitution and rewritten it to grant himself a third term. This biting satire cuts to the heart of Trump’s authoritarian ambitions and blatant disregard for democratic norms.

The sketch closes with the trio singing Chumbawamba’s “Tubthumping,” a perfect anthem for the relentless, reckless resilience of Trump and his enablers.

SNL’s cold open serves as a potent reminder of the ongoing threats to democracy posed by figures like Kavanaugh and Patel — and the urgent need to hold them accountable. In an era where truth is weaponized and the rule of law is under siege, this kind of unflinching satire is more than just entertainment — it’s a call to vigilance.