The SNL Cold Open That Featured 'Epstein'

In the sketch, Adam Driver appears as Jeffrey Epstein in Hell, sharing space with other controversial public figures—one being Alan Dershowitz (played by Jon Lovitz). The setup is absurd and dark: Dershowitz is preparing his impeachment defense when he ends up transported to Hell, where he is greeted by Epstein, who greets everything with an unnerving nonchalance, saying he’s “just hanging” in Hell, a grim reference to Epstein’s death by suicide in prison. The sketch mingles satire with shock, using the ludicrous setting to comment on how scandal, power, denial, and guilt function in public lifeThe cold open also includes other figures in Hell—Mitch McConnell, Flo from Progressive, the “Baby Shark” songwriter, etc.—turning the scene into a weirdly populated waiting room of immoral celebrity and public scandal. There are jokes about conspiracy theories around Epstein’s death, with Epstein quipping “I wish you could have been there in person” after Dershowitz complains about missing something, and Epstein responding “Yeah, it’s too bad I was murdered.” The tone is uncomfortable comedy: it forces laughter but also forces audience to think about the real grotesque elements of the Epstein scandal—death, power, impunity.To contact me:[email protected]:https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2020/01/26/snl-cold-open-alan-dershowitz-reunites-with-just-hanging-jeffrey-epstein-in-hell/amp/