Chris Rock, hosting Saturday Night Live for the fourth time, made headlines with his opening monologue, which touched on Donald Trump’s controversial deportation plans and his partnership with billionaire Elon Musk.
Rock joked that Trump is serious about his mass deportation plans, saying, “That’s right, nobody knows how to get rid of people like a South African.” The comment, aimed at Musk, who was born in South Africa and later became a U.S. citizen, drew a noticeable groan from the SNL audience. Rock went on to quip, “Oh, he’s serious. Trump is not playing. He got Elon. They’re going to put ’em in a rocket ship. Call it SpaceMex,” referencing Musk’s space exploration company, SpaceX.
Throughout his monologue, Rock tested the audience with bold humor, even mocking those who predicted Trump would be “undignified” as president. “Come on, man, this is not the most dignified job in the world. We’ve had presidents show up to the inauguration with pregnant slaves. And I’m just talking about Bill Clinton,” he joked.
Rock also pushed boundaries with his remarks about America’s history, saying, “You know how many rapists are in my wallet right now? Trying a cup of coffee in America costs seven rapists. And Trump’s going to get it down to three.”
The comedian’s sharp and controversial jokes added to the unpredictable tone of the night’s opening monologue, keeping the SNL audience on edge.
