Key Points
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Ashley Padilla is going full Obsession as SNL takes on Trump aide Natalie Harp.
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The season 52 cold open began with Harp crashing a bromance between James Austin Johnson’s Trump and Ramy Youssef’s Zohran Mamdani.
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Harp has recently made headlines for being ever-present with Trump on official business and personal golfing trips.
President Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson) paid New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (Ramy Youssef) a surprise visit in the first Saturday Night Live cold open of season 52 — only to get a surprise visitor of his own.
Youssef’s Mamdani was in the middle of filming a TikTok about the dangers of a nor’easter when an aide warned him about a visitor.
“What reckless lunatic would travel to see me in this kind of weather?” he pondered aloud, only for Johnson’s Trump to burst through the door, replying, “Your best friend.”
The president went on to shower his unlikely pal with affectionate remarks, noting, “For some reason that no one can figure out, I really, really like you.”
He added, “Somehow, when I’m with you, I’m just firing on all cylinders. Maybe it’s because we’re both from Queens.”
Mamdani replied, “I know. Isn’t it funny to think I could have grown up in one of your apartment buildings?”
But Trump shot back, “Not with that last name.”
The duo didn’t get much further in their friendly banter — with Mamdani politely trying to get rid of Trump — when the aide returned to share that the president had a visitor of his own.
Trump then asked, “What reckless lunatic would travel to see me in this kind of weather?”
“It’s your assistant, Natalie Harp,” the aide said, followed by an ominous crackle of thunder.
Harp, the White House aide whose relationship with Trump has been making headlines, was portrayed by Ashley Padilla in the sketch.
“Natalie, I didn’t realize you were in New York,” Trump said as Padilla’s Harp, soaked in rain, entered the room.
“Oh, I wasn’t. I ran here from DC,Weapons-style,” she said, mimicking the run from the horror movie. “I came in case you needed anything, because, um… Baby boy, you’ve been on my mind,”she said, singing a line from a Beyoncé tune.
“Isn’t she great? She’s like the girl from Obsession, but blonde,” Trump told Mamdani of his aide, who has been criticized for being ever-present at the president’s side.
Harp then repeatedly mimicked the viral frowny face of Obsession‘s possessed Nikki, before breaking into laughter, adding, “I’m kidding, I’m kidding, I’m totally normal.”
Of course, that didn’t stop her from greeting Mamdani with an ominous threat, leaning in to whisper, “If you hurt him, I will end you.”
SNL‘s take on Harp marks the second late-night show to poke fun at the White House aide this week. On Thursday’s edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the titular host <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzWfnwr_430″ rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>introduced his own clingy assistant (portrayed by his wife and executive producer Molly McNearney). She was seen hovering by his side, sitting at his feet and at one point complaining that she couldn’t “hear,” “smell,” or “wipe” him from backstage.
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Hosted by Knicks champ Jalen Brunson, the SNLseason premiere marked Youssef’s second time playing Mamdani and Padilla’s first time as Harp. Johnson, meanwhile, has been portraying Trump since season 47 in 2021.
You can watch the full cold open above.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
