‘SNL’ pokes fun at Syracuse native David Muir in the premiere of Season 50: Buzz

“Saturday Night Live” pokes fun at Syracuse native David Muir in its 50th season premiere.

The NBC comedy returned this weekend with a cold open gag about Muir, played by “SNL” cast member Andrew Dismukes, after ABC’s “World News Tonight” host aired the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris (played by Maya Rudolph ) and former President Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson).

“For ABC News, I’m David Muir. And is it just me, or is it quite beautiful here?’ Dismukes said in the role of Muir, furrowing his brow with a grin. “I had hoped that the takeaway from the debate I moderated would be my striking good looks, but unfortunately it was about whether or not I was biased against the Democrats, which… Duh.”

The Muir parody then attempted to show honesty by showing footage of both candidates’ rallies, starring Jim Gaffigan as Tim Walz, Andy Samberg as Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff, Bowen Yang as JD Vance and Dana Carvey as President Joe Biden. Rudolph, Samberg and Carvey are all alumni of “Saturday Night Live” and will return as guest stars for the 2024 election season.

“A lot of people will forget that I’m president, including myself,” Carvey said as Biden. “We have to build back better. The better to build back the better the better the better to build back the better I can’t believe it’s not butter.

Dismukes’ Muir appeared briefly between the segments and said Harris’ campaign event “seemed like a party,” while Trump’s event was “in its third hour” and featured bulletproof glass, referencing recent assassination attempts. When Yang’s Vance character tried to talk about Project 2025, Dismukes’ Muir said the Trump campaign asked them to cut away and instead show Rudolph’s Harris dancing at TLC.

Muir has not commented publicly on the draft. The real Trump has also taken aim at Muir’s appearance since the debate, saying the ABC News star “has good hair, but not as good as five years ago.”

Muir, a former anchor and reporter at WTVH in Syracuse (now part of CNY Central), is a graduate of Onondaga Central High School and Ithaca College. He was the 2022 commencement speaker at Syracuse University and owns a home in Skaneateles.

Biden also has ties to Central New York. The president graduated from Syracuse University’s College of Law in 1968 and married his first wife Neilia Hunter, a native of Auburn, NY and homecoming queen of Syracuse University, in 1966. The couple lived on Stinard Avenue in Syracuse while Biden attended SU law school. and she taught at the old Bellevue Heights School in town.

Several actors have played Biden on “Saturday Night Live,” including Jim Carrey, James Austin Johnson, Jason Sudeikis and Mikey Day. Other highlights of Saturday’s season premiere included host Jean Smart in an “I Love Lucy” skit, Yang as baby hippo Moo Deng and Charli XCX, a “Spirit Halloween” gag and appearances from musical guest Jelly Roll.

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