'SNL' begins 2022 with a message from Biden about the pandemic and movies

"Saturday Night Live" broadcast its first show of 2022 last night, so I begin, as it did, with Message from the President Cold Open.

President Joe Biden (James Austin Johnson) delivers an important message about the Omicron variant.

Before I woke up this morning, I had other plans for the Sunday entertainment feature, but watching a Joe Biden impersonator ranting about people watching Spider-Man: No Way Home contributing to the spread of the pandemic was enough to make me change my mind.

I continue with President Biden and politics with Weekend Update: Biden’s Agenda Stalls.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like Dr. Fauci calling Senator Robert Marshall a moron.

That's quite a news roundup, including topics I did cover, like PBS NewsHour on voting rights, and some I didn't, like the Oath Keepers being charged with seditious conspiracy and Dr. Anthony Fauci testifying before the Senate. Thanks to SNL's Weekend Update, I managed to cover them.

The news continued with Weekend Update: Robert Durst Dies & New Maya Angelou Quarter.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like a lesbian bar offering Covid tests.

While I like it and think it's a good symbolic step, I agree with Che that it's not exactly what people want for change.

Follow over the jump for more from last night's show.

"SNL" also shined a spotlight on a local politician in Eric Adams Press Conference.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (Chris Redd) takes questions at a press conference.

Welcome to being Mayor of New York City, Your Honor. It will be a great four years — for Chris Redd and his fans. I'm not so sure about you.

I resume examining entertainment in last night's episode with the next segment, Ariana DeBose's Monologue.

Ariana DeBose talks about winning a Golden Globe and brings the magic of West Side Story with Kate McKinnon.

I did not mention DeBose at all when I handicapped Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture: Actress in Politics, government, and diversity among movie nominees at the 2022 Golden Globes. If I had known that she had been an instructor for Carolina Crown when I wrote that last week, I might have paid attention to her. We drum corps folks should support each other.

I plan to write more about DeBose tomorrow for MLK Day, when I usually examine diversity in visual media. Stay tuned.