Why Kate McKinnon's 'Hallelujah' struck a chord
Saturday Night Live opened their latest show with a simple, passionate tribute by Kate McKinnon to Leonard Cohen and Hillary Clinton.
Saturday Night Live actor Kate McKinnon at a piano, portraying Hillary Clinton and singing Leonard Cohen鈥檚 "Hallelujah."
Saturday Night Live, the iconic NBC sketch comedy show, eschewed humor for the opening of their first post-presidential election show, instead opting to begin with cast member Kate McKinnon at a piano singing Leonard Cohen鈥檚 "Hallelujah."
The performance served as a resonating tribute to both former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who lost the presidential election to billionaire Republican Donald Trump, and also to Mr. Cohen himself, who died last Monday.
Ms. McKinnon鈥檚 performance portraying Mrs. Clinton, as she has throughout the campaign, ended by turning toward viewers to say, 鈥淚鈥檓 not giving up and neither should you.鈥� That final, impassioned note appeared to almost resemble the remarks of Clinton鈥檚 own concession speech, given earlier in the week, in which she said, 鈥淪o my friends, let us have faith in each other, let us not grow weary, let us not lose heart, for there are more seasons to come. And there is more work to do.鈥�
The subdued, slightly somber note hit a chord for Democratic viewers (the ) who remain reeling after Trump's win. In the immediate days after the election, protests and riots sparked around the nation with vows to march on Washington following Trump鈥檚 inauguration.
Reactions to McKinnon鈥檚 performance published via Twitter demonstrated an overall support for SNL鈥檚 choice of opening, with messages like, ", I didn't know it, but I did. Thank you. #ImStillWithHer."
One YouTube commenter, Alec Sander, wrote: "This is the first time SNL made me tear up. So poignant. Also, first time I've seen the opening act trying to heal folks instead of making them laugh. Thank you SNL. I needed this."
As in previous recent presidential election years, the show gathered a considerable following leading up to the election by consistently lampooning all the presidential candidates and the polarized nature of the country as a whole. McKinnon's portrayal of Clinton provided a dynamic counterpoint to actor/comedian Alec Baldwin's popular depiction of Trump.
In fact, the show鈥檚 consistent focus on politics and political figures helped boost their overall ratings, with this year鈥檚 season opener debuting as the , and a full 29 percent higher than the opening show the year before.
SNL has made a tradition of political, pre-election comedy sketches. The last time a premiere hit such high ratings numbers was eight years ago, on Sept. 13, 2008, when Tina Fey debuted her now-famous Sarah Palin impersonation.
This year, joining Mr. Baldwin and McKinnon in their portrayals, former cast member Darrell Hammond returned to the show for the opener to portray former president Bill Clinton and comedian Larry David came in as Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Baldwin, who signed on to perform his Trump characterization as a recurring element throughout the season, chose not to reprise the role following Trump鈥檚 election win, and similarly McKinnon didn鈥檛 tell a single joke in her Hillary garb. And yet the post-election episode, which opened on the somber note, quickly sped up to surpass the premiere and hit the highest ratings for SNL this season.
Host Dave Chappelle was joined by musical guest A Tribe Called Quest, as well as other celebrity comedians such as Chris Rock in post-election sketches.