SNL Flames Tucker Carlson With Biting Impression Riffing on Michael Jackson, Met Gala, and More

Tucker Carlson is back at the desk pic.twitter.com/HFrkRFuC5o

— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) May 10, 2026

Saturday Night Live turned its sights on Tucker Carlson as cast member Jeremy Culhane delivered a biting Weekend Update impression that mocked the conservative pundit’s culture war obsessions as he riffed on the Met Gala and the new Michael Jackson biopic.

Appearing opposite Colin Jost, Culhane’s Carlson launched into a tirade about the celebrity-heavy Met Gala, sneering: “A night of fashion and fun. Huh. Really. Come on, everybody, let’s all prance around in our $100,000 clown outfits and watch the American empire crumble.”

“What are we doing? What’s going on?” he imitated, as the audience laughed.

When Jost pressed him on whether he enjoyed the event, parody Carlson launched into absurd complaints about gender as he surveyed the outfits of celebrities who attended.

Reacting to actor Dwayne Johnson appearing in a skirt-inspired look, Culhane’s Carlson quipped: “Do you smell what The Rock is cooking? Because I do. It’s gender confusion.”

Jost attempted to push back and argue that Gala outfits were meant to be “fun” only for parody Carlson to lambast Madonna’s “pirate ship” head piece and model Heidi Klum, who dressed as a statue.

“Oh yes! The left has finally gotten what they’ve always wanted. They put the Statue of Liberty in a burka,” he said.

Culhane’s Carlson digressed into a mock conspiracy digression about the silent “e” in Maine, where the real pundit lives, before veering back to the Met Gala.

“And look who’s next coming down the runway, it’s Jaafar Jackson, who had the gall to show up after starring in the Michael Jackson movie,” he said.

Jost interjected to note that some people were “upset” by the film.

“And they should be,” parody Carlson quipped. “The movie ends in 1988, so obviously they avoided something serious that needs to be acknowledged. The part of Michael Jackson’s life no one wants to talk about anymore. Of course, I’m talking about the part when he was a white man.”

He continued, “Sorry, kids. Michael Jackson doesn’t get to live a beautiful white life anymore. Huh, who does that remind me of? Oh, that’s right, all of us! That’s the rule, that is the goal now.”

“Shimona? Yeah, more like shame-on-ya!” he snapped.

The sketch closed with Culhane’s Carlson delivering one final inflammatory punchline about rapper A$AP Rocky’s red carpet outfit, saying the artist was wearing his “least favorite color” – before revealing he was referring to his race.

President Donald Trump publicly pushed for the rapper’s release during his 2019 assault case in Sweden, though Rocky later said Trump’s involvement “made it worse” and prolonged his detention, which he described as “scary” and “humbling.”

Watch above via NBC.

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