'SNL' tackles sexual harassment and Tiffany Haddish makes history as the first black female comedian to host
"Girls Trip" star Tiffany Haddish made history Saturday night as the first black female stand-up comic to host "Saturday Night Live."
"I grew up in foster care," Haddish said in her opening monologue. "I've lived in a lot of group homes and my favorite show growing up was 'SNL.' You have no idea how difficult it is to get a bunch of black and Hispanic kids to watch 'SNL' over 'In Living Color.'"
Haddish also touched on the spate of sexual harassment allegations erupting across Hollywood by offering a sage "Tiff tip."
"Listen fellas," she said. "If you've got your thing-thing out, and she got all her clothes on, you're wrong. You're in the wrong."
In a meta moment, the show also addressed the controversy last week’s host Larry David faced after joking in his opening monologue about picking up women at a concentration camp. David returned last night in his recurring role as Sen. Bernie Sanders, saying: "We're really going to lace into people if they don't say what's politically correct. Like these comics out there who think it's OK to make jokes about concentration camps. That guy should rot in hell."
The topic of sexual misconduct was highlighted in several other moments throughout the night.
A sketch featuring cast members Mikey Day, portraying Alabama Republican Senate nominee Roy S. Moore, and Beck Bennett, playing Vice President Mike Pence, touched on a scandal that has shaken Republicans in recent days. Sitting ramrod straight, Pence tries to convince Moore to end his candidacy over widening allegations that he engaged in improper sexual conduct with teenagers decades ago.
"The left-wing media loves to repeat these sexual harassment stories," said Day as Moore. "There's a new one every day, Mike."
"I know," replied Bennett as Pence. "Even I heard about Louis C.K. and I'm not allowed to watch TV, I'm only allowed to listen to it."
Later in the sketch, Kate McKinnon (performing in convincing makeup as Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions) referenced it again while speaking to a taxidermic possum she referred to as Papa.
"There's so many men out there acting like monsters," she said. "Mr. Weinstein, Kevin Spacey … the president. Daddy, has this been happening forever? Have I both fostered and benefited from a culture of systemic oppression? No? Well, that's a relief."