Saturday Night Live
Druski & The Strokes
November 7, 2026
Forgive me a moment, but I’m going to brag: according to a very cursory glance at other reviews of this episode of Saturday Night Live, I am, perhaps, the only Gen Xer in all of America who knew who Druski was before this episode aired. SO COOL, VERY HIP, MUCH WITH IT.
Now, to be completely honest, I only know who Druski is thanks to a controversial TikTok/Instagram sketch he did back in March, which clearly mocked Erika Kirk (though not by name), and the OUTRAGE! it caused because WhiteFace. But also Erika Kirk.
I mean, where’s the lie, though?
But previous to last March, had I heard of Druski? Lol, no, of course not, I was born in the 1970s.
Turns out, Druski, and several of his digital comedian ilk who have made the cast in recent years, are the future present of comedy. And so it makes sense that Saturday Night Live would have him, perhaps the biggest social media comedian out there right now, host, making him the first social media star to do so.
And how’d he do? Honestly, he acquitted himself pretty well. There were some early nerves — the monologue seemed jittery, and some of the timing in the early sketches was off. The taped bits, like for most hosts, were much smoother and the highlight of the episode. But he had great energy, was obviously having the time of his life, and seemed like a natural fit with the cast. And considering he brought in the highest ratings in two years, I think it’s safe to say he’ll be invited back, and invited back soon.
The cold open addressed the midterm election and the solid thumping the Republicans took, turning most of the country, including Kansas and my beloved Texas, a deep, beautiful blue. Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries celebrate their wins, while cackling at the idea that they’d pass the torch to a new generation of lawmakers, only to have President James Austin Johnson interrupt the scene to lament that the era of Trump is over, and talk about New Girl, like, a lot. Pete Hegseth also joins him, yelling that he won’t abandon him.
While President Sore Loser wishes us well with Osoff and El-Sayed and Talafreako, Texas’ own Senator-Elect, James Talarico, gives President Interruptor a dose of his own medicine by freezing him and diverting the spotlight for a moment. The crowd goes wild.
Talarico jokes that he’s the guy who has been texting you every day asking for five dollars, before noting that the people have made it clear they want something new. And by that, he means the SNL cold opens: how many of these Trump Freeze bits are they going to do?
So clearly the writers are reading the reviews, got it.
Grade: A+ (not because it was funny, but because a SENATOR from TEXAS was CELEBRATED on SNL!!!!)
Druski introduces himself in his monologue to those of us over 30 who may not know who he is, explaining that he’s Saturday Night Live‘s first social media host. He claims he was given a couple of rules: no cussing and no white face, but he can’t promise he’ll abide by either. (Spoiler alert: he doesn’t.) He also brings Emma Stone out on stage, claiming that he’s in a movie with her, which … OK?
Grade: B
Here, Kenan, Saidah Belo-Osagie, and Druski are hosts of a BET political show breaking down the midterms with a white guy from The Atlantic, and the whole joke is that they think newly reelected Ohio senator Sherrod Brown is Black. (He is not.) It’s a one-joke bit, and fortunately, they do not drag it out too long.
Grade: B
It’s You Can See Everything, except if it were made by Druski instead of Nathan Fielder: “Dru Can See Everything.” As such, he deploys his white girl makeup to give Elizabeth Holmes a taste of her own medicine. I didn’t love this as much as apparently everyone else did, but definitely points for concept and execution. Also, Jane Wickline does a solid Elizabeth Holmes and deserves some love.
Grade: B+
Druski and Marcello are employees at a Dominican mobile phone store, selling a phone to a couple of white customers. It doesn’t feel very well-rehearsed, but Marcello and Druski seem to be having fun.
Grade: B-
Druski’s drag, even when he’s in full white girl prosthetics, plays off of how unfeminine he is, how obvious it is that this is not a woman, while performing a wildly exaggerated version of one. Here, he deploys it as a spoiled woman celebrating her birthday and becoming infuriated when a friend takes the smallest bit of attention off of her by ordering fajitas.
By the way, it’s a take on a TikTok sketch (and a whole internet conversation) from a couple of years ago:
Grade: B
It’s a new health tracker that won’t sell your data to Big Tech, because it’s just that guy on the corner making unsolicited comments about your body. It goes on a smidge too long, but was far and away my favorite bit of the night.
Grade: A
“Weekend Update” obviously takes on the midterms, with Jost noting that the Democrats won the largest House popular vote since Watergate, and all it took was “infinity Watergates.” Preach. They also tease Mississippi, Al-Sayed, and get digs in about Epstein, Stephen Miller, and Martha Stewart.
Grade: A-
Elon Musk stops by the “Weekend Update” to laugh off his tough week and encourage Grok to “vulgar roast” him. Jeremy Culhane’s Musk is not spot-on, exactly — not nearly as accurate as his Tucker Carlson, for instance — but it does capture the spirit of his annoyingness in a way that Mike Meyers never quite nailed.
Grade: A-
The Two People Who Just Hooked Up stop by to discuss the midterms and make innuendo about what they just did to each other. Dismukes and Padilla’s chemistry is off the charts.
Grade: A-
Here, Culhane is a man proposing to his girlfriend in a restaurant, only for her to say no. The problem is that he’s arranged for a whole song and dance, literally, including a rap by her own father to celebrate the good news. It’s funny enough (if a bit long) and allows Druski to show some singing skills.
Grade: B
Druski and Grace Reiter are a pair of wedding photographers who are too aggressive in trying to get the perfect shot. Reiter matches Druski’s chaotic energy; they feel like a pairing which should have been explored more in the episode. However, this one just didn’t work for me; it was essentially the same gag over and over and OVER again.
Grade: C+
The final bit of the night is a retrospective of a cringy ’90s hip-hop/R&B group, with shades of Color Me Badd, who, while trying to be socially conscious, were unblinkingly homophobic. As someone who survived the ’90s, I’m a little triggered.
Grade: B
Cut for time: Unfortunately, this ad skewering Republicans for being absolutely disgusting pigs preying on people’s worst impulses during this election was cut for time this week. It’s a shame, because it was easily the best sketch this week.
So, there are people for whom the Goodnights are REALLY IMPORTANT, which, honestly, I don’t understand, but I’m not here to yuck someone else’s yum. Instead, I’ll note that of the Goodnights, this was one of the most packed with celebrities: aside from Druski and musical guests The Strokes, James Talarico and Emma Stone were there (which is not surprising, as they made cameos); Walton Goggins, who played the bongos with The Strokes; Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock were also there to anoint Druski as an heir apparent; but also Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler for reasons that are completely unclear.
Thank you, Druski, The Strokes, James Talarico, Emma Stone, Walton Goggins! Goodnight! https://t.co/dDpmlYe0wu
— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) November 8, 2026
Final Grade: B+.
Saturday Night Live airs at 10:30/11:30 p.m. Saturdays on NBC and streams on Peacock.