‘SNL’ Cold Open Skewers NYC Mayoral Debate With Miles Teller as Andrew Cuomo, Ramy Youssef as Zohran Mamdani and Shane Gillis
With the federal government still shut down, food stamps being cut off for millions of Americans, and the World Series heading into a tense Game 7 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, Saturday Night Live found comic relief in New York City’s latest political spectacle — a fictional mayoral debate.
All the attention was drawn to Teller’s exaggerated portrayal of Cuomo, which was marked by a combination of overconfidence, self-righteousness, and the kind of ridiculous self-assertiveness that has always been a part of SNL’s fundamental mannerisms and even degenerated into the show’s likes.
Amid a government shutdown, a cut-off of food stamps to millions of Americans and an exciting Game 7 in the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays, Saturday Night Live managed to find a source of humor in the latest political drama that was, of course, a bogus mayoral debate.
The Return of Miles Teller’s Cuomo “You all know me.
I was the one who managed to get us through COVID and then yada yada yada, honk honk, squeeze squeeze,” was how Teller’s Cuomo confidently opened his act, making a gesture of hand squeezing which was quite obviously referring to the former governor’s infamous sexual harassment case.
“Anyway, I’m back,” he grinned, giving his iconic New Yorker intro. “I am born-and-bred New Yorker. I love it here. I understand this city, no better, than if I were able to see the whole back of a woman.” The comically exaggerated claim received a very enthusiastic reaction from the audience and was thus establishing Teller’s unctuous Cuomo as one of the night’s most memorable impersonations.
His depiction was such that it encompassed both the light and the rough side of the character, hence, he was trailblazing the real Cuomo’s path of combining political power with public scandals.
Debate Night, SNL Style mock debate staged at the Javits Center saw Bowen Yang portraying the present-day Mayor Eric Adams and Andrew Dismukes taking on the role of City Comptroller Brad Lander, with Kenan Thompson as the moderator who humorously identified himself as “the least famous person to be impersonated on SNL” while impersonating NY1 journalist Errol Louis. From the very start, “Why would you want the worst job in the world.
Zohran Mamdani (Ramy Youssef), Andrew Cuomo (Miles Teller) and Curtis Sliwa (Shane Gillis) debate against each other in the race to become New York City’s next mayor.
SNL’s Political Comedy Keeps Hitting Home
The cold open ended in typical SNL fashion total chaos. Adams danced, Cuomo posed for selfies, and Lander awkwardly audited the microphone as the moderators tried to close out the debate.
Saturday Night Live reminded viewers that humor can flourish in the face of dysfunction, even in the face of national crises like a government shutdown, economic hardship, and impending close elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York.
Teller’s Cuomo Makes a Grand Return
“You all know me. I got us through COVID and then yada yada yada, honk honk, squeeze squeeze,” Teller’s Cuomo declared confidently, miming a hand-squeezing motion — a not-so-subtle reference to the former governor’s well-known sexual harassment scandals.
“Anyway, I’m back,” he continued with a smirk. “I am born and bred New Yorker. I love it here. I know this city like the back of a woman’s back.”
The line drew loud laughter from the live audience, cementing Teller’s Cuomo as one of the night’s standout impressions. His portrayal balanced charm and controversy, mocking the real Cuomo’s mix of political resilience and public scandal.
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