'SNL' examines Tom Homan replacing Greg Bovino in its cold open and Weekend Update

I told my readers to stay tuned for highlights of last night's Saturday Night Live as tomorrow's Sunday entertainment feature to commence February's blogging. Like the show, which is the 1000th episode of the series, I begin with ICE Meeting Cold Open - SNL.

White House Border Czar Tom Homan (Pete Davidson) meets with ICE agents (Kenan Thompson, James Austin Johnson, Mikey Day, Ben Marshall, Andrew Dismukes, Jeremy Culhane) in Minneapolis.

This is only the second time I've mentioned Tom Homan, responsible for family separation and caught on camera taking $50,000 in a fast-foot restaurant bag, the first being two days ago. He's certainly making a splash replacing Greg Bovino, who I've never mentioned here before and hope never to do so in another entry unless it's about any legal troubles he might face. Speaking of legal trouble, I watched the incident involving Don Lemon, who I haven't cited since 2021, and he was just doing his job; he wasn't one of the protestors. The feds arresting him is turning him into a hero of the Resistance, if he isn't already.

Homan replacing Bovino was the lead story in Weekend Update: Trump Replaces Gregory Bovino with Border Czar Tom Homan - SNL.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like the FBI investigating Trump’s false claim the 2020 election was rigged.

I agree with Michael Che; Donald "Hoover Harding Cleveland" Trump should give it up, but he won't, in part because of what I wrote in CBS canceling 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is enough to drive one to drink on National Daiquiri Day.

The problem is that Hoover Cleveland was a follower of Norman Vincent Peale, who wrote The Power of Positive Thinking. Politico expanded on this.

Donald Trump is a self-help apostle. He always has tried to create his own reality by saying what he wants to be true. Where many see failure, Trump sees only success, and expresses it out loud, again and again.

His wish might just come true. This works on the social environment, but not the physical and biological environment; it failed to work on the virus during the pandemic. He couldn't bully a virus.

But he can bully the Department of Justice, particularly with Pam Bondi in charge. This is on top of his positive thinking reinforcing the Big Lie.

I'm recycling my reaction from Jane Mayer describes 'The Big Money Behind the Big Lie' on MSNBC.

All of this reminds me why I think calling the idea that the election was stolen the Big Lie doesn't go far enough.

Personally, I'd rather call it Trump's dangerous delusion, his fixed belief that the election was stolen from him despite all evidence, which I see as related to his vulnerability to conspiracy theories, but "the Big Lie" is the established phrase used by CNBC and others, so I'm calling it that instead. It's a lie, too.

Mayer's reporting shows that Trump's delusion is not just dangerous but contagious. It's bad enough that there is one pandemic running around; we don't need another.

The delusion has continued to spread, infecting a lot of candidates in today's elections. Ugh.

And now he has an Administration dedicated to it.

The first segment mentioned the Melania documentary, which alone qualifies this entry as the Sunday entertainment feature, but Kanye West made a cameo in Luigi Mangione Won’t Face Death Penalty, cementing its status.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like Ye publishing an apology in The Wall Street Journal.

"Unless you have a pre-existing condition" would be funnier if it weren't so true.

Follow over the jump for the rest of last night's highlights.

Weekend Update needed a weather report and it got one in Sarah Sherman Reports on the Weather.

Sarah Sherman makes her debut as Weekend Update’s weather correspondent.

That was hilarious and Jack McBrayer's cameo as NBC page Kenneth Parcell from 30 Rock made a great finishing touch.

Weekend Update had included some sports news earlier, but used sports as a McGuffin to close the segment in Two People Who Just Hooked Up Talk Super Bowl LX.

Two People Who Just Hooked Up (Andrew Dismukes, Ashley Padilla) stop by Weekend Update to discuss Super Bowl LX.

I enjoyed their chemistry just as much as I did the first time.

I'm continuing with sports comedy in Winter Olympics Promo.

Athletes and coaches (Alexander Skarsgård, Mikey Day, Chloe Fineman, Sarah Sherman, Marcello Hernández, Ashley Padilla, Jane Wickline) talk about their sports for the Winter Olympics.

HAHAHAHA! Maybe I will pay attention to the Winter Olympics after all.

I close with Alexander Skarsgård Monologue, which I'm including because Skarsgård mentions that it's the 1000th episode and features the band.

Alexander Skarsgård celebrates SNL’s 1000th episode before spotlighting the Saturday Night Live band.

That was worth it for the music alone.

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned for Groundhog Day. I bet Phil sees his shadow.