Joe Biden’s Panda Diplomacy Lacks Heat In ‘SNL’s Pre-Thanksgiving Cold Open

Dominic Patten

18 November 2023 at 11:50 pm·3-min read

“Was I the only one who was surprised that the presidents of the two biggest economies in the world met, and everyone’s just like ‘what’s up with the pandas?” asked the Bowen Lang portrayed Tian Tian the panda in tonight’s Saturday Night Live cold open. “There have to be bigger issues, right?”

It was a far question, and maybe the highlight of the first few minutes of the show.

More from Deadline

Kicking off with another uneven Joe Biden press conference, with Mikey Day as the aged Commander-in-chief, this was not one of the sharper or more cutting cold opens that the NBC late night show has had since its Season 49 premiere on October 14.

Certainly, as geopolitical tensions seem to be well past the boiling point, POTUS’s mini-summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco this past week was realpolitik in action. Even more so, now that the Middle Kingdom are indicating they may lend more pandas to the US again after the National Zoo’s three giant pandas, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and cub Xiao Qi Ji were put on a plane back to China earlier this month.

“I don’t know anyone in China, I haven’t been back since I was a baby,” Yang’s Tian Tian exclaimed with a concerned Uncle Joe standing nearby. “Now I have to make friends as an adult,” the smirking panda added. “How do I panda express this? I just want to eat bamboo, sneeze in a cute way and not have sex, okay?”

Day’s SNL Biden tried to pull focus back to him, but one question about his Middle East policy saw the President push things back to Tian Tian.

Which had mixed results in a widely mixed sketch – even with the usually spot on comic skills of Yang.

“I have to leave the country now,” Tian Tian said in response to a question from a James Austin Johnson portrayed journalist about returning to China. “If Trump gets elected in 2024 that would be a disaster …there might be a civil war,” he added, but still refused to commit to voting for nearby Biden – as polls indicate is the stance many Americans are taking even as the former Celebrity Apprentice host ramps up the racist and fascist talk and threats in recent weeks.

“I’m kidding, I’m a bear, I can’t vote,” SNL Tian Tian concluded in another rebuff to the offended Biden.

From Donald Trump in court again, Elon Musk amplifying antisemites again, the early reign of GOP Speaker Mike Johnson, and Taylor Swift’s athletic bounding backstage to Travis Kelce, the Lorne Michaels produced late nighter once again had near boundless cold open possibilities beyond the Biden misfire we got. Add to that, having the game for almost anything Jason Momoa hosting for the second time widened the opportunity for this 953^rd episode of the Not Ready for Primetime Players – but alas it was not to be in this last SNL before Thanksgiving.

Best of Deadline

The Telegraph
The world must prepare for President Michelle Obama
The 2024 US Presidential race intensifies. Speculation abounds over potential replacements for President Joe Biden amid increasing pressure from his party and the media to step aside after a jaw-dropping, catastrophic debate against Donald Trump last week. Among the names circulating, a game-changer is emerging: Michelle Obama. Could this be America’s worst nightmare?
NextShark
16-year-old Chinese boy beat with iron rod on New Zealand bus
On Friday morning, during the Maori New Year public holiday, a 16-year-old teen named Jason was brutally attacked on an Auckland bus by a woman wielding an iron rod. The assailant, described as a Maori woman “more than 200 kilograms," hit Jason multiple times and stabbed him in the face, knocking out five of his teeth, on board the bus after having allegedly shouted "ch*nk" at him at Johns Lane stop. Man intervenes: A 75-year-old Chinese man, Penglai Qiuyue, intervened and managed to grab the weapon, though he was also injured in the process.
The Daily Beast
World’s Winningest Party Loses in Spectacular Style
LONDON—The Conservatives, the world’s winningest political party, were booted out of power in dramatic style on Thursday after 14 years of chaotic and divisive rule.The exit poll which dropped at 10 PM local time (5 PM EDT) showed that the Labour Party had secured a landslide victory ending an era of Conservative rule over Britain that stretches back to 2010, the year that the iPad and Instagram were launched and Lady Gaga wore that meat dress to the MTV music awards.In that time, the Conservati
The Telegraph
Biden ‘seriously considering’ leaving election race
Joe Biden has for the first time said that he is considering ending his presidential campaign, according to reports.
HuffPost
New Poll Finds 1 Democrat Absolutely Trouncing Trump
Just one problem: This person doesn't seem interested in running, should the opportunity arise.
Bloomberg
These flight routes suffer the world’s worst turbulence
A series of incidents that left scores of airline passengers needing medical attention has shone a spotlight on the problem of severe in-flight turbulence.
The Independent
Investigation reveals house of horrors on boat after dad arrested on child porn charges
Police said they uncovered a world of sickening abuse on Eric Cadogan’s houseboat
Cinema Online
Vivian Chow reunites with Sharla Cheung after 30 years
The singer was elated to see her former co-star coming to see her perform in Wenzhou
SETHLUI.COM
$2 Mao Shan Wang & all-time low prices this durian season
The post $2 Mao Shan Wang & all-time low prices this durian season appeared first on SETHLUI.com.
INSIDER
I went inside a hidden room where flight attendants sleep on long-haul flights. I was amazed by its small size and comfy beds.
Business Insider's reporter toured a secret room above economy where Air New Zealand flight attendants sleep on long-haul Boeing 777-300ER flights.
Fortune
Singapore is trying to be a wealth hub. Now 6 family offices that got tax breaks are tied to the nation’s biggest money-laundering case
Singapore wants family offices to set up shop in the country. Now it’s exerting greater scrutiny after a $2.2 billion money-laundering scandal.
The Telegraph
Cristiano Ronaldo accused of ‘ambush marketing’ after wearing £230 smart wristband
Cristiano Ronaldo’s heart-rate data during Portugal’s penalty shootout win over Slovenia has been made public by the maker of a wearable device with whom he has partnered.
BuzzFeed
"It Was The Worst Betrayal I Have Ever Experienced": People Are Revealing The Shocking Reason Why They Don't Speak To Their Sibling Anymore
"Once it became clear he was committed to those ugly morals, I told him never to contact me."
SETHLUI.COM
Founder of Hong Ji Mian Shi Jia passed on at age 83, stall now run by 3rd generation
The post Founder of Hong Ji Mian Shi Jia passed on at age 83, stall now run by 3rd generation appeared first on SETHLUI.com.
Cosmo
Bikinis, sheer 'fits and hotel robes: Alix Earle nails the Italy holiday wardrobe
We have been loving the Instagram outfit pictures of Alix Earle's bikinis, crochet dresses and hotel robes complete with a hair towel from her holiday to Italy.
AFP News
Philippines says US mid-range missile system to be pulled out
A US mid-range missile system deployed in the Philippines for annual joint military exercises -- to the annoyance of China -- will be pulled out of the country, a Philippine Army spokesman said Thursday.The US Army said in April it had deployed the Mid-Range Capability missile system which can fire the Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) and the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile in the northern Philippines.
The Independent
David and Victoria Beckham celebrate 25th anniversary wearing their iconic purple wedding reception outfits
The Beckhams first met at a charity game at the Manchester United players’ lounge in 1997 before getting married in 1999
Hello!
Maya Jama's racy red latex plunge dress is seriously spicy
The Love Island host just raised heart rates around the globe in a seriously sultry red latex dress. See photos
Hello!
Davina McCall turns heads with daring photo in racy string bikini
Davina McCall isn't shy of strutting her stuff in a fabulous bikini. See her latest swimwear display.
Reuters
Malaysia's Najib loses legal bid to serve sentence under house arrest
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -A Malaysian court dismissed jailed former Prime Minister Najib Razak's legal bid to obtain a document that he said would allow him to serve his remaining prison sentence under house arrest. In a judicial review application filed on April 1, Najib said an "addendum order" issued by the former king had accompanied a pardons board's decision in February to halve his 12-year jail sentence for graft in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal. Najib had sought for the court to compel the government to reply to or confirm the existence of the royal order, which he said would entitle him to serve the remainder of his term under house arrest, and to execute the order if it existed.

Latest stories