‘Saturday Night Live’ has officially kicked off Season 52, and with the return of the legendary late-night sketch comedy institution comes the revival of fan-favorite recurring characters and political impressions. During the first “Weekend Update” segment of the landmark new season, cast member Jeremy Culhane stepped back into the spotlight to reprise his widely discussed impression of conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson. Sitting alongside “Weekend Update” co-anchor Colin Jost, Culhane’s Carlson took aim at Hollywood, offering his signature brand of perplexed, deadpan cultural commentary on the biggest box office blockbusters of the summer.
Culhane first debuted his biting impression of Carlson during Season 51 of ‘Saturday Night Live’ and has since brought the character back for subsequent appearances on the news desk. This latest segment marked the third time the character has graced the ‘SNL’ stage, cementing Culhane’s impression as a recurring staple of the show’s political satire rotation. Rather than focusing strictly on Capitol Hill, however, Carlson’s latest television appearance saw him pivot entirely toward pop culture and the film industry, dissecting the cinematic landscape with the mock seriousness that has long defined his public persona.
The commentary began with a look at the cinematic retelling of classical mythology in “The Odyssey.” Turning his sights toward the technical presentation of modern filmmaking, Carlson offered a bizarre critique of premium theatrical formats. Addressing the specialty format of Imax 70mm, Carlson remarked to Jost, “The Hollywood cabal shoots its filth with millimeters — or as I like to call it, the gay inch.”
He didn’t stop there, quickly pivoting to the thematic elements of the film. “I like ‘The Odyssey,’” Carlson added with a straight face. “It’s so nice to see Greek people do something other than make women feel uncomfortable.”
From ancient Greece, the conversation quickly shifted to contemporary superhero franchises and the biggest movie of the entire year. Carlson turned his undivided attention toward the blockbuster sequel, announcing to the studio audience, “Everybody loves ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Gender.’”
Recognizing the fabricated subtitle, Colin Jost quickly interjected, attempting to correct the political pundit. “That’s not what it’s called,” Jost asserted from behind the “Weekend Update” desk. Unfazed by the correction, the conservative commentator simply doubled down, immediately beginning to invent an impromptu theme song for the web-slinging hero. “Spider-They, Spider-Them uses whatever bathroom it feels like,” Carlson sang deadpan, leaning directly into ongoing cultural debates surrounding gender identity.
The segment then took a detour into the personal lives of the film’s high-profile stars. Carlson offered his congratulations to the movie’s lead actors for tying the knot, only to abruptly halt his train of thought mid-sentence as a familiar grievance began to form in his mind. “I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. — huh? She refused to take his last name,” Carlson complained, visibly distressed by modern marital customs.
As Jost gently reminded the pundit that lead actress Zendaya “doesn’t have a last name,” Carlson dug his heels in deeper, launching into a peculiar philosophical rant about the state of modern nomenclature. “But where did it go? And who took it? And why?” Carlson demanded to know. “Sorry kids, you don’t get two names anymore. You only get one name, like a dog. That’s the rule. That’s the goal now.”
The cultural critique rolled on as Carlson was asked about his thoughts on the thriller film “Obsession.” Offering a satirical take on psychological thrillers and romance, Carlson diagnosed the cinematic premise through his unique political lens. “The left’s idea of a horror movie — that a woman is forced to love a man,” Carlson said. “Oh, no, help! I’m being chased by a heterosexual relationship! Is this what we want? I don’t. Do you? You shouldn’t. But you do. Why? Is that allowed? Maybe.”
In a moment that caught both the audience and his anchor off guard, Carlson briefly strayed from Hollywood entirely to deliver a swift political jab closer to home. Equating the animated feature “Minions and Monsters” directly to “Trump’s cabinet,” Carlson paused for a beat before looking directly into the camera. “That’s right,” he deadpan, “I’ve turned on Trump. I’m so brave.”
Culhane’s Carlson concluded his rapid-fire movie review marathon with a classic, low-brow punchline directed at Pixar’s enduring animated franchise, delivering a raunchy joke regarding “Toy Story 5.” Referencing the iconic theme song of the beloved animated series, Carlson asked the audience, “You’ve got a friend in me? And his name is Woody?”
The recurring bit is part of Culhane’s growing portfolio of impressions on the long-running NBC sketch show. Since introducing the character during the previous season, the actor has continued to find fresh angles for the television personality, shifting effortlessly from cable news paranoia to cultural gripes about Hollywood blockbusters. The full “Weekend Update” segment featuring Culhane’s return as Tucker Carlson is available to watch online via the official ‘Saturday Night Live’ YouTube channel and streaming platforms.
