‘SNL’ Cold Open Mocks Oscars With Slapgate, Jamie Lee Curtis, George Santos References

Ahead of the 95th annual Oscars on Sunday, the Saturday Night Live cold open featured a live red carpet segment and what audiences can expect ahead of the ceremony.

Marcello Hernandez and Heidi Gardner played Mario Lopez and “Maria Menounos or Kit Hoover,” hosts of Access Hollywood‘s Oscars Red Carpet Show. “We are so excited to have been standing outside the Dolby Theatre for almost 153 hours,” Hernandez’s Lopez said. “But it’s all worth it to ask Angela Bassett if she really did the thing.”

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Gardner’s host also referenced Will Smith’s infamous smackdown of Chris Rock during last year’s ceremony, saying, “This year, to make sure nothing crazy happens, the Academy hired a new head of security: notoriously calm and sane person, Mike Tyson.”

When asked about what new security measures are in place, Kenan Thompson’s Tyson, said, “This year, all the nominees have been given tasers, all the seat fillers have been given guns and Jimmy Kimmel has been given a flamethrower.” He added that an Apple AirTag was also slipped into Smith’s pocket ahead of the ceremony so “we know exactly where he’ll be at all times unless, of course, he changed his pants and then he could be anywhere.”

Chloe Fineman’s Jamie Lee Curtis was the next star to appear on the red carpet, where she expressed her love for fellow Oscar nominees, including Cate Blanchett, “because these actresses rule.”

Fineman’s Curtis also noted, “What Ariana DeBose did at the BAFTAs was fun. It was by far the best live rap performance I’ve seen all year. It was incredible.”

Later, during an Oscars gambling segment, Andrew Dismukes and Devon Walker said some of the favorite long-shot picks for a surprise appearance poll include Chris Rock, Jared from Subway, Armie Hammer, the judges that overturned Roe v. Wade, George Santos pretending to be Tom Cruise and Harvey Weinstein introducing Kanye West.

Sarah Sherman’s Michelle Williams’ Jewish acting coach, Mikey Day’s Colin Farrell, Molly Kearney’s Brendan Gleeson and Bowen Yang’s Santos as Cruise also made appearances on SNL‘s red carpet.

Gardner’s host initially thought she saw Cruise on the red carpet, but Hernandez’s Lopez was quick to say, “George, you’re not fooling anyone.” Yang’s Santos responded, “Except I did, and now I’m in Congress. Excuse me, I have to go be everyone, everywhere all at once.”

Jenna Ortega, star of Wednesday and Scream VI, made her hosting debut Saturday night, with musical guest The 1975, who previously appeared on the show in 2016.

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