Whether you adore him or love to hate him, one thing is clear after this past weekend: Domingo, the unforgettable Lothario brought to life by Marcello Hernández on “Saturday Night Live,” isn’t going anywhere. He’s officially moved from a recurring bit to the star of the show’s opening sketch.
The recent “SNL” episode, with pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter pulling double duty as host and musical guest, took an unexpected turn. Instead of the usual political cold open, viewers were treated to a fresh installment of the Domingo saga. For those keeping score, Domingo continues his relentless pursuit of Kelsey (played by Chloe Fineman), much to the eternal frustration of her new, bewildered husband, Matt (Andrew Dismukes).
For those unfamiliar with Domingo’s dramatic past, here’s a quick rundown: he first appeared in a 2024 sketch where bridesmaids (even Ariana Grande!) at a wedding reception belted out an off-key parody of Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” detailing a secret liaison with the bride, Kelsey. The segment unexpectedly blew up online, leading to follow-up sketches where Domingo famously disrupted the newlyweds’ babymoon and, during the “SNL” 50th-anniversary special, crashed Kelsey’s vow-renewal ceremony, much to the dismay of her on-screen parents, played by Molly Shannon and Martin Short.
This latest episode saw Carpenter, who also featured in the previous sketch, team up with Hernández, Ashley Padilla, Veronika Slowikowska, and Sarah Sherman. Together, they performed hilarious song parodies, tackling hits like Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia,” Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” and Alex Warren’s “Ordinary”—all hinting at yet more scandalous encounters with Domingo.
A visibly frustrated Dismukes confronted Fineman at the sketch’s close, declaring, “I’m serious, this is strike six.”
“Hey, babe,” she purred back, already cozying up to Hernández, “it won’t happen again.” But as any loyal “SNL” fan knows, when it comes to Domingo, history is bound to repeat itself.
Trump’s Unexpected Cameo of the Week
Don’t be fooled by this seemingly strange sketch! It kicks off as a brilliant parody of a video podcast featuring adolescent boys delivering slang-heavy reviews of their favorite and least favorite foods. It’s both hilarious and surprisingly believable to watch Carpenter, Fineman, Slowikowska, and Jane Wickline embody earnest young goofballs. They earnestly debate whether Twizzlers are “washed” or “fire,” and which vegetables are considered “G.O.A.T.-ed.” Carpenter’s character perfectly summarized it: “Some vegetables are fire and some vegetables low-key be a fruit.”
But here’s where it gets truly wild: The podcast’s celebrity guest turns out to be former President Trump, flawlessly impersonated by James Austin Johnson. Despite the bizarre setting, Johnson’s Trump surprisingly blends right into the chaotic, youth-driven discussion.
While he couldn’t quite pinpoint a favorite vegetable, Johnson’s Trump enthusiastically endorsed Little Debbie, stating, “We like Little Debbie. She does tremendous work. It’s awful what happened to her.” He specifically praised the brand’s Christmas Tree cake, remarking, “You know, it used to be seasonal. But I very smartly made a call and now we get it year-round.”
An awestruck Fineman responded, “Dang, that’s so fire, sir.”
“It is,” Johnson’s Trump confidently replied. “It’s very fire. It’s very fire.”
This Week’s Memorable Musical Sketches
Unfortunately, Bowen Yang couldn’t make it to this week’s live broadcast; he was busy in Los Angeles, honored at the Academy Museum Gala. This meant no return for his popular portrayal of George Santos, the disgraced former congressman whose fraud sentence was dramatically commuted by former President Trump just days before. However, Yang did appear in a pre-recorded music video with Carpenter, depicting high school students finding hilariously inappropriate (yet fully clothed) ways to get intimate during a school dance.
Carpenter also had another musical moment, joining Slowikowska for a sketch where they personified a washing machine and clothes dryer, serenading the audience with jingles performed in a variety of musical genres. (It was quite late, but we’re fairly certain that’s what unfolded on screen!)
Weekend Update: Top Jokes of the Week
Behind the Weekend Update desk, anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che delivered their signature blend of wit, tackling subjects ranging from former President Trump’s commutation of George Santos’s sentence to the controversy surrounding a leaked group chat among young Republican officials and activists, which contained racist and homophobic remarks.
Jost kicked things off:
Yesterday, former President Trump finally released what everyone had been asking him to release: George Santos. The former Republican congressman, who pleaded guilty to fraud and something called aggravated identity theft – which, I assume, involves pushing someone into a closet and swapping clothes – is now free and will face no consequences. Santos claims he’s a changed man, even sharing a photo of his new “prison body” [screen displays Santos’s head Photoshopped onto a muscular physique].
Che followed up:
Volodymyr Zelensky announced that if former President Trump supplies Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, he’ll nominate Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize. You know, the award for selling missiles. This week, a leaked group chat among Republican leaders sparked outrage; it reportedly praised Hitler and used a derogatory term for Black Americans. The chat? Ironically titled “Jost Family.”
Jost continued:
While en route to the Middle East on Air Force One to mark the cease-fire, former President Trump reportedly told reporters, “I don’t think there’s anything that’s going to get me into heaven.” He then reportedly paused for ten full minutes, clearly expecting someone to interject, “That’s not true.” Because, let’s be honest, Trump can’t go to heaven. He’s far too occupied down here, running hell.
Che then quipped:
Former President Trump announced that another boat from Venezuela, which he claimed was smuggling drugs, was blown out of the water without warning. You might not think that’s a huge deal now, but trust me, one day soon you’ll stare into the mirror and realize you’re completely out of cocaine.
Weekend Update: A Beloved Recurring Character Returns
While not strictly topical, this past Weekend Update segment fittingly highlighted more of Hernández’s talent. We were treated to another visit from his delightful recurring character, Movie Guy – the well-intentioned theater usher who’s always eager to chat about new films, despite having seen absolutely none of them. His puns are predictable, yet there’s an endearing, timeless quality to his unwavering persistence and charming naïveté. He hilariously articulates his appreciation for modern horror films with self-explanatory titles, noting, “Like ‘Scream,’ everybody scream. ‘Smile,’ everybody smile. And ‘Saw,’ everybody saw. Except me. I did not see ‘Saw.’”