After Al Franken was accused of sexual assault earlier this week, “Saturday Night Live” used its Nov. 18 “Weekend Update” segment to address the allegations against the senator who was once a “SNL” writer himself.
Jost kicked off the segment by noting that Thursday is Thanksgiving, and there is a lot to be thankful for — “unless you’re a human woman.” Though photos of everyone from Donald Trump to Bill Cosby to Louis C.K. were shown behind it, it was Franken’s turn in the hot seat of commentary.
Turning to the photo Leann Tweeden shared with the world from the 2006 USO tour she was on with Franken, in which he leaned over her sleeping body with both hands grabbing her breasts, Jost continued, “I know this photo looks bad, but it is bad.” He noted that the photo was taken before Franken became a senator, but it “was also taken after he was a sophomore in high school” and it’s hard to claim he didn’t know any better because he was “only 55.”
When it was Che’s turn to weigh in, he noted that Donald Trump has spoken out against Franken but not Roy Moore, “who is accused of way worse, by the way.” Franken is a liberal, while Trump and Moore are both conservatives, he noted, adding that in this country, everybody “has to pick a side” but that he thinks “they’re all bitches.”
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Currently the democratic senator from Minnesota, Franken worked at “SNL” from 1975 to 1980 as a writer and occasional performer. He later returned to the late night sketch comedy series for a decade-long run starting in 1985.
Watch “Weekend Update” from the Nov. 18 episode of “SNL” below:
“Saturday Night Live” airs live coast-to-coast Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT on NBC.
