'America Needs to Laugh!' Netizens Applaud Remotely-Produced SNL Show Amid COVID-19

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, an episode of the US show Saturday Night Live aired a collection of sketches that had been recorded remotely, offering a glimpse into its cast members’ homes.

As it aired on 11 April, Tom Hanks hosted the late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show, with Chris Martin as the musical guest.

​American comedian Pete Davidson offered a parody of a Drake song on this episode of Saturday Night Live, where he repeatedly chanted "this is a Drake song", over a music video directed by his mother in his home.

​American actress, comedian and writer Kate McKinnon presented a political sketch, featuring herself as Justice of the US Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

A Bernie Sanders impression was offered up by comedian Larry David, who mocked the US Senator from Vermont, who recently ended his 2020 presidential campaign, saying he was "always a bridesmaid, never the Democratic nominee".

​Another sketch on Saturday Night Live featured "Sales Corp Industries’ first Zoom call" among staff that was shown as spiralling into chaos.

A sketch featuring Chloe Fineman, "Masterclass: Quarantine Edition", showed the actress, writer, and comedian performing impressions of Timothee Chalamet, JoJo Siwa and Carole Baskin.

Her impression of US dancer, singer, actress, and YouTube personality JoJo Siwa had her saying:

"To make a TikTok, you can literally do anything."

SNL cast member Heidi Gardner’s sketch featured her recurring character Bailey, who on occasion reviews movies on the Weekend Update desk, this time doing a YouTube video talking about coronavirus and various movies, including The Hunt.

Elsewhere in the show was an animated sketch, "Middle-Aged Mutant Ninja Turtles," while Mikey Day filmed himself playing Call Of Duty badly as he parodied gamer culture and Twitch streams.

Stand-up comedian and writer Alex Moffat contributed a "Sky Sport Report" parody that took a look at quarantine activities like “which banana would ripen first” and “which popcorn kernel would pop first”.

A dating post-quarantine sketch was presented in a parody called "How Low Will You Go".

The episode of Saturday Night Live wrapped up with a tribute to the show’s sketch music producer Hal Willner, who died earlier this week, with former cast members also offering pre-recorded messages about him.

​Netizens applauded the effort by those behind the show to boost people’s spirits amid the coronavirus pandemic.

​Many on social media appreciated the sketch, which wasa built around a Zoom conference gone wrong – something most living amid lockdown conditions and social distancing have first-hand knowledge of.

​Not all, however, appreciated the show and its sketches.

​Some netizens called out those bashing the show, applauding the dedication of the cast.