Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Louis Chilton

Saturday Night Live interviews talking ‘Chinese spy balloon’ in latest episode

NBC

Saturday Night Live began last night’s (4 February) episode with a sketch dedicated to the week’s “spy balloon” drama.

A suspected Chinese spy balloon was shot down by the US military on Saturday off the South Carolina coast, prompting a stern response from the Chinese government.

In an episode of SNL that aired that night Bowen Yang played a talking version of the balloon after it had been shot down.

“Well, ya got me! Congrats, you shot a balloon,” said Yang, dressed as “the remains of the balloon”. “I entertained you people for four days and then I get shot by Biden?

“I can’t believe I’m Joe’s Osama.”

“The balloon” was then asked why it was flying over Montana, to which it replied: “I loved the show Yellowstone, so was just there. It’s like Succession… but outside. Now I’m all wet, so… what a day!”

Other SNL regulars also appeared in the sketch, satirising reactions to the incident from across the political spectrum.

Kenan Thompson played a Pentagon official, who was interviewed on the fake news segment.

Bowen Yang as the ‘Chinese spy balloon’ on ‘Saturday Night Live' (NBC)

“The balloon was somehow able to get past our West Coast anti-balloon defense system, the Seattle Space Needle,” he said. “But once it was here, we were able to keep an eye on it with our sophisticated tracking technology of going like this [looks up].”

“And I want everyone to know that we will not tolerate any form of Chinese spying,” Thompson added. “But to be honest, they already have everything they need from TikTok, so scroll away, kids!”

The episode was hosted by Pedro Pascal, who is currently starring in the hit HBO drama The Last of Us.

For the night’s most well-recieved sketch, Pascal starred in a parody trailer for a hypothetical Mario Kart film, designed to mimic The Last of Us’s dark, gritty aesthetic.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.