Brad Pitt Made a Surprise Appearance on 'Saturday Night Live' to Play Dr. Anthony Fauci
During a CNN interview earlier this month, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci said that while he hoped that he wouldn't be depicted on Saturday Night Live, he'd like to be played by Brad Pitt if he were to be portrayed on the sketch comedy show. So last night's digital episode of SNL presents something of a good news/bad news situation for the doctor. Bad news: He was the subject of its cold open. Good news: He got his second wish, and was played by the Oscar-winning actor.
"First, I'd like to thank all the older women in America who have sent me supportive, inspiring and sometimes graphic emails," said Pitt.
He then went on to offer fact-based translations of some of President Trump's most infamous falsehoods about the coronavirus pandemic. On the president's claim that a vaccine would be available "relatively soon," Pitt mused, "'Relatively soon' is an interesting phrase. Relatively to the entire history of earth, sure, the vaccine is going to come real fast. But if you were to tell a friend I'll be over relatively soon, and then showed up a year and a half later, then your friend would be relatively pissed off."
Then there's Trump's insistence that the virus would "disappear" like a "miracle."
"Who doesn't love miracles?" asked Pitt. "But miracles shouldn't be Plan A. Even Sully tried to land at the airport first."
Finally, there was Trump's obviously false and wildly dangerous claim Thursday that the disease could be cured by injections of disinfectants, which Pitt greeted with open-mouthed horror.
At the end of the open, Pitt took off his Dr. Fauci wig and addressed the real-deal doctor directly.
"To the real Dr. Fauci, thank you for your calm and your clarity during this unnerving time," said Pitt. "Thank you to the medical workers, first responders, and their families for being on the front lines. And now live, kinda, it's Saturday night."
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