Jim Carrey Featured as Joe Biden in SNL’s New Season
By Zach Roozendaal, Contributer
In the past few weeks, much tension and hype has been built leading up to the 2020 US Federal Election. The two frontrunners are of course current President, Donald Trump for the Republicans, and Joe Biden for the Democrats.
SNL has started getting A-list celebrities to cameo as some of the politicians, as they have for many years. The cast has acted as members of Trump’s Cabinet, and people tied to it, including Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump, Larry David as Bernie Sanders, Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris, Matt Damon as Brett Kavanaugh, Adam Driver as Jeffrey Epstein, and Jason Sudeikis, Woody Harrelson, John Mulaney, and now Jim Carrey all as Joe Biden. Carrey has hosted the show at least three times prior and has also made a cameo appearance back in 2011 and on the 40th anniversary special, but the Canadian comedian has now come back to Studio 8H of Rockefeller Plaza to play the Democratic nominee.
Now take it from me, I was quite skeptical that he was chosen as I wasn’t sure if he could pull it off. After all, say what you will about Alec Baldwin but his Trump impersonation is not exactly spot on, and I wasn’t necessarily a massive fan nor am I one now, but it is still cool to see a celebrity cameo on the show.
It was announced in early September that Jim Carrey would be appearing on the show as Biden, replacing Sudeikis for the season. Many fans of the show including myself were curious about how Carrey would look, sound, and feel as Biden.
A few weeks ago, following the show’s return to the studio and NBC’s brief stint of an “At Home” edition of the show back in the spring, SNL alumni Chris Rock hosted the first episode of Season 46, and the cold opening of the show mocked the presidential debate. Baldwin was back as Trump, and Maya Rudolph showed up as Kamala Harris, but the real showstopper was Jim Carrey as Joe Biden. Carrey almost 100% nails Biden’s behaviour and mannerisms and portrays Biden with a kind of wholesomeness you’d see watching a video of puppies and kittens playing in a basket or a baby trying ice cream for the first time.
He portrays the former VP in such an amazing way and is clearly having fun doing so. Carrey makes the show even more interesting, so if Biden wins, expect Jim Carrey for four years on SNL.
Anyways, as I always do before I go, I’ll leave you all with my final thought. Laughter is a medicine that doesn’t require a prescription, just a sense of humor. Remember to social distance and wear a mask when possible, wash and sanitize your hands often, and stay home if you don’t feel well.
Stay safe out there, and until next time, I’m Zach Roozendaal, signing off! Goodbye for now!