SNL Mocks Conservatives and Trump With Shocking Data

A Deep Dive into the Political Jokes on Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live has long been a platform for political satire, but recent data reveals a significant shift in its comedic focus. According to an analysis by NewsBusters, a media watchdog, the show's Weekend Update segment this season has seen a heavy emphasis on mocking conservatives. The findings are striking, with 91% of jokes delivered by Colin Jost and Michael Che targeting conservatives, while only 82% of characters during cold opens mocked President Donald Trump or other Republicans.

The analysis examined the first 19 shows of the season through May 9 and found that the show has become a one-way political firing squad. Out of 226 political jokes, 205 targeted conservatives, with only 18 slapping Democrats and other liberals, and three being non-partisan. During cold opens, actors playing Republicans and conservatives appeared 49 times, while lefty characters were featured just 10 times, and one nonpartisan character was included.

The focus on Trump has been particularly intense. He accounted for nearly half of the Weekend Update jokes, with 101 instances. This trend continued as the show approached its finale, with Trump's character, typically played by James Austin Johnson, making a dozen appearances during cold opens.

During the April 4 broadcast, SNL took a controversial approach by joking about the possibility of Trump being assassinated. Michael Che made a dark joke about the president attending a performance at the renamed Trump Kennedy Center, referencing the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The audience responded with laughter, highlighting the show's willingness to push boundaries.

In response to the comments, a White House spokesman criticized the show, stating, “‘Saturday Night Live’ hasn’t been a good television show since President Trump hosted it” in 2015. Trump faced multiple assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign, including one just weeks after Che’s bit.

Other political figures also became targets. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s character appeared second in cold-open segments with nine appearances. Ex-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s characters each appeared four times.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was the second most targeted figure on Weekend Update, receiving 14 jokes. He was followed by Noem (12), conservative pundit Tucker Carlson (11), and former Rep. George Santos (10). In contrast, socialist NYC Mayor Eric Adams has been targeted only once, with his character appearing in a single cold-open segment.

The show's treatment of Adams was notable. Comedian Ramy Youssef portrayed him in a November sketch about a NYC mayoral debate, mocking his signature grin. Adams later shared clips of himself laughing with Youssef on a FaceTime call, highlighting the real-world impact of the show's humor.

David Bozell, president of the Media Research Center, commented on the trend, saying, “Nobody is asking SNL to become conservative, but when every political punchline is nothing more than Trump Derangement Syndrome all the time, SNL risks turning itself into a caricature of its own political obsessions.”

This pattern is not unique to SNL. Data from NewsBusters shows that late-night television remains heavily left-leaning. A staggering 94% of jokes delivered by late-night hosts during the first week of Operation Eric Fury targeted the United States and its allies instead of Iran and other adversaries. Additionally, 92% of jokes made by Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and the Daily Show universe targeted the right in 2025, with liberal guests outnumbering conservative ones almost 100 to 1.

The implications of these trends are significant. As the media landscape continues to evolve, the role of comedy in shaping public opinion becomes increasingly important. While satire can serve as a powerful tool for critique, the concentration of political humor on one side raises questions about balance and representation in the entertainment industry.