Best of late-night: Jim Carrey impersonates Joe Biden on SNL, James Corden spoofs Trump

During this election season, the late-night shows have toed the political content line being sure to balance their programs with a mix of White House fodder and traditional entertainment. This week, it all went out the window with balls to the wall politics.

To be fair, between last week’s presidential debate between Donald Trump and Vice President Biden, Trump’s COVID diagnosis that quickly spread through the White House, his hospitalization at Walter Reed Medical Center, his endless tweetstorm, and the VP debate, the hosts had plenty of fuel for their late-night fires. And yes, all that happened in just one week.

Saturday Night Live’s season premiere was both perfectly and ill-timed as it fell just after the debate, yet also just days after the president announced he and First Lady Melania Trump both tested positive for the coronavirus. Trump was still in the hospital when SNL aired. But NBC handled the onslaught of news perfectly with a message before the opening cold open sketch: "The following is a re-broadcast of Tuesday night’s presidential debate. Even though Tuesday feels like 100 days ago…"

Alec Baldwin reprised his now-infamous portrayal of President Trump for the debate sketch with Jim Carrey as Vice President Biden. You would have never known it was Carrey’s first time playing Biden as he nailed every aspect of the politician, even down to his toothy grin!

The skit mimicked the memorial aspects of the actual debate that made it a trainwreck, but really hit its stride with an unexpected pause; Trump abruptly stopped talking as Biden revealed a magical remote control to stop the president’s indecent ranting.

“Now, just imagine,” Biden told America directly to the camera, “if science and karma could somehow team-up to send us all a message about how dangerous this virus can be. I’m not saying I want it to happen, but just imagine if it did.”

Joe Biden’s VP running mate, Kamala Harris, played by Maya Rudolf, also made an appearance in the skit scolding the boys for their childish behavior.

“I think if there’s one thing we’ve learned tonight, it’s that America needs a WAP: Woman As President.”

The crowd loved that!

Later in the week, Rudolf joined Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live, where she revealed some behind the scenes tidbits about that night.

“It’s so insane,” she said when asked if she was thrown a loop by Trump’s COVID diagnosis. “Everything is on steroids.”

The former cast member revealed that because the week’s news came in so fast, SNL didn’t have enough to build all the sets they wanted before Saturday’s show. And with the added precautions of COVID protocol, prepping the show took longer too.

“I didn’t really get my lines to cards until air. So I had never run that sketch until we did it live.”

Another headline busting moment from the week was Trump’s video announcement via Twitter that he may be immune to the virus – although, he quickly added, “I don’t know.”

But James Corden of The Late Late Show knew for sure he had to write a biting parody based on Trump’s assumption. The host sat down at a grand piano and played Paul McCartney’s familiar tune, “Maybe I’m Amazed.”

Corden let his pipes shine as he ripped into the president’s refusal to wear masks, his doctors lying about his heath, and his SUV ride through his crowd of supporters. He even sang about Trump’s sinking poll numbers.

“Maybe I’m afraid of the way I just might lose this,” he belted. “Maybe on November 3rd I just might lose this.”

And just in case it slipped your mind, November 3rd is just a few weeks away meaning we will have even more political comedy from late-night.

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This week's best of late-night: Jim Carrey unveils Joe Biden impersonation, James Corden spoofs Trump through song

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