‘Saturday Night Live’ targets classified documents discoveries

The continuing classified documents saga was at the center of the latest “Saturday Night Live” cold open as a fake Attorney General Merrick Garland hosted a press conference about the searches of former and current presidents and vice presidents.

The skit featured comedian Mikey Day as Garland standing at a podium and celebrating his new crusade against the improper handling of classified documents.

He was joined by comedian Kenan Thompson, a fake FBI agent, who described finding a lonely former Vice President Mike Pence at his Indiana home. When searching the residence, Thompson said, the agents did not find any classified documents but did find a folder labeled “tax stuff” that had cut-out pictures of country star Shania Twain.

“When confronted with this, Mr. Pence said, ‘I’m sorry. I’m disgusting,’” Thompson joked.

A second agent, played by Ego Nwodim, took a jab at Vice President Harris, joking that President Biden wouldn’t even let her have a pen, so why would she have classified documents?

“You think she has classified documents? Please,” Nwodim said. 

A third and final agent, Bowen Yang, talked about being starstruck by former President Obama. Instead of searching for documents, he joked that Obama declined a call from pop singer Beyoncé.

“We asked him about classified documents, and he said he was ‘out of the government game’ and ‘doing the Hollywood thing now,’” Yang said.

The jokes come as classified information has been found in the possession of Pence, Biden and former President Trump. The discoveries have resulted in the National Archives asking former presidents and vice presidents to search their records for classified documents.

Thompson finished the sketch in a serious tone, approaching the fake Garland and asking if they would also go to Memphis, Tenn., where Tyre Nichols died after being beaten by police.

“When we’re done playing with these little papers, we’re gonna head down to Memphis and make sure justice is served down there too, right?”

“I sincerely hope so,” Day’s Garland responded.

“Yeah, you damn right. Just making sure,” Thompson said to huge applause from the audience.