SNL skit parodying TikTokers’ meeting with the White House divides internet

Saturday Night Live has parodied The White House’s meeting with 30 TikTokers about the Ukraine conflict, and while some loved the cold open, others weren’t such a fan.

On March 10, 30 popular TikTok influencers were invited to a Zoom meeting with White House press secretary Jen Psaki, among others. They were briefed on the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, due to TikTok becoming a source of information for many.

In a March 12 episode of Saturday Night Live, the cast parodied this meeting between influencers and the White House in their cold open.

James Austin Johnson played President Biden, and he was joined by a host of ‘influencers,’ including a CW actor, ‘Jason Derulo,’ a prankster, and Charles F. D’Amelio.

“People are saying this is the first war fought on TikTok, which is tough for me because I’m the landline of presidents,” Johnson as Biden said.

Some viewers enjoyed the parody, with one commenter writing: “I have to admit that is one of the best cold openings I’ve seen in years.” Others described the skit as “hilarious.”

However, others were not a fan of the cold open, sharing their thoughts on social media.

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“Opener tonight is tragic,” one user wrote, claiming the current situation isn’t something to joke about “even on SNL.”

Another said: “Cringey, guys. Not even remotely funny.”

This isn’t the first time SNL has parodied a big event in the social media world. In April 2021 after the Vlog Squad controversy, they mocked YouTuber David Dobrik with their own fake influencer Marky Munro, in a video that went on to get millions of views.

They also parodied the TikTok For You Page later in December, with Billie Eilish joining in on recreating some classic trends from the app.