'Saturday Night Live' pokes fun at 'naughty list' members Trump, Moore, Franken, Lauer

The cold open featured a mall Santa fielding awkward questions from children.

ByABC News
December 10, 2017, 1:34 AM
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- Episode 1733 -- Pictured: (l-r) Kate McKinnon as an Elf, Kenan Thompson as Santa during "Visit with Santa Cold Open" on Saturday, December 9, 2017.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- Episode 1733 -- Pictured: (l-r) Kate McKinnon as an Elf, Kenan Thompson as Santa during "Visit with Santa Cold Open" on Saturday, December 9, 2017.
Will Heath/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

— -- Alec Baldwin didn't reprise his role as President Donald Trump on "Saturday Night Live" this weekend, but that doesn't mean that the show steered clear of poking fun at the president and other controversial lawmakers.

This week's cold open featured cast member Kenan Thompson playing a mall Santa -- whose elf sidekick was played by Kate McKinnon -- who fielded a series of awkward questions from curious children.

In the course of answering these questions, the cold open touches up the real-life woes of Trump, Rep. Al Franken, former "Today" show anchor Matt Lauer, and Alabama GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore.

PHOTO: SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- Episode 1733 -- Pictured: (l-r) Kate McKinnon as an Elf, Kenan Thompson as Santa during "Visit with Santa Cold Open" on Saturday, December 9, 2017
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- Episode 1733 -- Pictured: (l-r) Kate McKinnon as an Elf, Kenan Thompson as Santa during "Visit with Santa Cold Open" on Saturday, December 9, 2017

"Is President Trump on the naughty list?" a little girl asked Thompson's Santa.

"Well, Santa likes to stay out of political matters," responded Santa. "Our president may have said or done a few naughty things."

McKinnon's elf chimed in, "19 accusers. Google it," referring to the number women who have accused the president of inappropriate behavior, which he has denied.

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Santa then said to the girl, "I'm sure we can all learn a lesson from what's going on in the news."

And the girl, indeed did learn something. "I learned that if you admit you did something wrong you don't get in trouble, but if you deny it, they let you keep your job," she said.

Then, in a nod to Trump's support of West Virginia coal miners, Santa said to the girl, "Well OK, careful there, Jessica, or you might get coal in your stocking."

Asks the sassy girl, "From where? We both know coal is a dying industry."

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Another girl told Santa, "I don't want any presents this year. I just want everything to be OK."

McKinnon's elf said, "I know that things seem particularly insane. Like truly mind-bendingly insane, and we seem to have lost all perspective on what's naughty or nice.

"I know," the girl replied. "I've seen Fox News."

McKinnon'S elf continued, "But as bad as things might seem, I promise you, Jenny, it will be okay. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not for another three years, forty two days, and 24 minutes, Jenny, but most people in America are good people. and eventually good people will fix our country."

And then in a nod to Bitcoin's buyount trading, the girl said, "OK good. But just in case I'm putting all my money in Bit."

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The girl also asked Santa, "What did Al Franken do?"

"I guess you could say that Al Franken is on Santa’s naughty list this year," Santa said.

"Oh, you mean toy like the one Matt Lauer gave to his coworker?” the girl shoots back.

PHOTO: SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- Episode 1733 -- Pictured: Kenan Thompson as Santa during "Visit with Santa Cold Open" on Saturday, December 9, 2017
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- Episode 1733 -- Pictured: Kenan Thompson as Santa during "Visit with Santa Cold Open" on Saturday, December 9, 2017

Roy Moore, who is facing multiple accusation of sexual misconduct which he denies, was also skewered in the cold open when a young boy asked Santa,"What about Roy Moore?"

McKinnon's elf said, "It's not really a list, it's more of a registry."