“Saturday Night Live” roasted Sen. Ted Cruz in its cold opening Saturday, poking fun at the Texas Republican’s social media beef with Big Bird over the Sesame Street character’s COVID-19 shot.
Aidy Bryant reprised her portrayal of the senator, who has opened a gated community called “Cruz Street” — “where kids are safe from the woke government.”
“When Big Bird said he got vaccinated against this deadly disease, I said ‘Heck No,’” Bryant said, “and I created my own Sesame Street called Cruz Street.”
“As you know, I was mocked for attacking Big Bird on Twitter, simply because I am a human senator and he is an eight-foot-tall fictional bird,” she remarked.
The skit comes a week after Big Bird’s official Twitter account posted on Nov. 6 that the character had received his vaccination, which drew scorn from Cruz.
“I got the COVID-19 vaccine today!” The Big Bird account posted. “My wing is feeling a little sore, but it’ll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy.”
The senator responded in a Tweet.
“Government propaganda…for your 5 year old!” he wrote.
Pete Davidson (left) portrayed Joe Rogan while his SNL castmates Kyle Mooney and Aidy Bryant took on the roles of Big Bird and Ted Cruz, respectively. Saturday Night Live / Youtube
In the Sesame Street universe, Big Bird is about 6 years old, which would now make him eligible for the vaccine which was recently approved for children ages 5 to 11.
A sickly-looking Big Bird, played by Kyle Mooney, joined Bryant on stage, and sarcastically suggested that perhaps the COVID-19 vaccine gave him the virus.
Pete Davidson portrayed Cruz Street’s “medical expert,” comedian Joe Rogan, making fun of the controversy over his alternative treatments to the coronavirus, which includes the horse dewormer Ivermectin.
“I used to host ‘Fear Factor’ and now doctors fear me,” Davidson quipped while wearing a bald cap.
Davidson also took a jab at Rogan for recently saying he is able to fellate himself: “Today’s two sponsors are the letters ‘S’ and ‘D,’ as in I can S my own D,” he said.
Cast member Cecily Strong appeared as an armed Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green in the skit, which said “Cruz Street” aired on the fictional Newsmax Kids TV station.
Saturday’s episode of SNL was hosted by “Lovecraft Country” actor Jonathan Majors, who also appears as “He Who Remains” in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
