Texas Senator James Talarico Crashes 'SNL' Cold Open

Texas Senator James Talarico crashed Saturday's "Saturday Night Live" cold open, days after flipping a Republican seat with 55.09% of the vote. His complaint was not political. It was structural. He wanted to know how many more Trump freeze-frame cold opens "SNL" intends to produce.

"I'm the guy who's been texting you every day asking for $5," Talarico said, introducing himself to the studio audience, who cheered. The joke landed on every Democrat who has ever received a fundraising text, which is to say every Democrat.

James Austin Johnson's Donald Trump replied: "In this economy, who can blame you?"

What did Talarico actually say?

Talarico, playing himself, pitched bipartisanship before pivoting. "But I think, Mr. President, if we can work together, we can make life better for everyday Americans," he said. "It's clear people want something new. They want something different. I'm talking, of course, about SNL's cold opens. How many of these Trump freezers are they going to do?"

Trump's answer: "Infinity!"

It's a fair question, and "SNL" clearly knows it. The show has leaned heavily on the device of Trump freezing the action to monologue, and a sitting senator calling it out on air is as close to a peer review as sketch comedy gets.

How did the cold open unfold?

The episode — the first after the midterm elections — opened with Sarah Sherman as Chuck Schumer and Kenan Thompson as Hakeem Jeffries celebrating this week's "blue tsunami" while dodging the suggestion that energized young Democrats might want them to pass the torch.

Then Johnson's Trump froze the frame. "The Democrats never would have won without this horrible economy and terrible war," he said. "So, in the words of Moana's big fat friend, 'You're welcome.'"

The bit's running gags included:

• Trump noting "the other day we lost, and I didn't even say it was rigged. I accepted the results, which is almost scarier in a way. It's like, 'What the hell is he planning?'"
• His answer: "ballroom," delivered alongside complaints about marble, beams, millennials and his own life.
• "JD Vance" popping in to announce "the era of Vance has just begun," to which Trump replied: "No, no way… Who the hell was that?"
• A full discourse on the millennial sitcom "New Girl," including the observation that Winston's character was only solved "when they gave him the cat."
• Colin Jost as Pete Hegseth, declaring "I live a YOLO lifestyle. You only lose often, so I'm gonna keep losing for you, sir, unless Congress impeaches me," before exiting to "go weigh the female soldiers."

Why does Talarico's cameo matter?

Talarico won the Texas Senate race just days before the broadcast, beating Ken Paxton with 55.09% of the vote and flipping the seat Democratic — the first blue senator from Texas since 1988. His win formed part of the "blue tsunami" that gave Democrats control of the House, the Senate and a majority of governorships.

A senator-elect using his first week of national prominence to critique a comedy format rather than claim a mandate is, if nothing else, a genre choice. It's also free advertising in the state he'll need to hold.

Who else was on the episode?

The show made history of its own. Comedian Druski, whose real name is Drew Desbordes, became the first online content creator to host "SNL." The Strokes joined as musical guest.

This season's hosts so far:

• Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks guard (Sept. 26)
• Dakota Johnson, star of "Verity" (Oct. 3)
• Comedian Shane Gillis (Oct. 10)
• Inde Navarrette, star of "Obsession" (Oct. 31)

Musical guests have included Katseye, Turnstile, Rosalía and Gracie Abrams. The Halloween episode hosted by Navarrette averaged 5.2 million viewers — the season's biggest audience to date.

John Mulaney hosts the Nov. 14 episode, with Phoebe Bridgers as musical guest. Whether Trump freezes that frame too remains, per the man himself, a question of infinity.