Saturday Night Live wasted no time diving into this week’s most talked-about story: the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the internet frenzy surrounding his alleged killer, Luigi Mangione.
The episode’s cold open parodied Crime Stories, Nancy Grace’s true-crime show, with a satirical deep dive into the shocking case. The insurance CEO was fatally shot in midtown Manhattan on December 4, and after an intense manhunt, 26-year-old Mangione was apprehended in Pennsylvania on December 9. He now faces murder charges while battling extradition to New York City.
Sarah Sherman, portraying Nancy Grace, opened with a biting monologue:
“The masked CEO shooter has been unmasked, and guess what? It’s game over, Luigi. And of course, everyone online celebrated the hard work of law enforcement in apprehending this dangerous criminal. Just kidding, y’all suckas made him a sex symbol. That’s right, the healthcare assassin Luigi Mangione has got women and gay guys alike hot and bothered.”
Since Mangione’s mugshot went public, social media users have been obsessing over his looks, with some even suggesting potential casting choices for a future movie. Sherman’s Nancy Grace didn’t hold back her critique:
“I mean, seriously? This guy looks like Dave Franco with Eugene Levy’s eyebrows. I mean, what is going on in this country? Y’all, this man is not a sex icon, OK? This man is, and I cannot say this any clearer, a MURDER!”
The segment also featured Kenan Thompson as Darnell Davis, a worker at the Pennsylvania McDonald’s where Mangione was arrested. When asked by Sherman’s Nancy about the public’s attraction to Mangione, Thompson quipped:
“I mean, you could look at him and tell he had hoes. Women love bad boys. You know, back in the day you could impress your old lady with a little poem. Now you gotta write a manifesto.”
Adding to the absurdity, Sherman’s Nancy interviewed Emil Wakim, who played a character resembling Mangione.
“This whole thing’s been a roller coaster for me,” Wakim said. “On one hand, I keep getting tackled by bounty hunters, but on the other hand, I’ve gotten some of the horniest DMs of my life. I mean, I haven’t paid for a meal in Brooklyn in days.”
The skit, which you can watch above, also poked fun at the intrusive nature of mid-sentence YouTube ad breaks.
Later, host Chris Rock returned to host SNL for the fourth time, reflecting on current events in his opening monologue, including the Thompson murder.
“There’s a lot going on in the news. My God, it’s so crazy out there,” Rock said. “It was so hard just getting in the building tonight. So much security. My God, I had to walk by a bunch of baby oil-sniffing dogs. It was insane! Everybody’s worried. I mean, we got Luigi, and that’s good. I really feel sorry for the family. Everybody’s fixated on how good-looking this guy looks. If he looked like Jonah Hill, no one would care.”
Rock then struck a somber note, acknowledging the tragedy:
“But he actually killed a man. A man with a family, a man with kids. I have condolences for the healthcare CEO; this is a real person. But you also gotta go… sometimes drug dealers get shot.”
The show also welcomed Gracie Abrams as its musical guest, marking her SNL debut. Fans were delighted by a surprise appearance from Adam Sandler during the episode.
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