SNL's Weekend Update mocks Tucker Carlson's 'awful' laugh and rant on 'American culture collapse'

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Saturday Night Live turned its sights on conservative commentator Tucker Carlson during a Weekend Update segment on March 14, with cast member Jeremy Culhane delivering a biting impersonation that exaggerated Carlson’s distinctive speaking style and laugh.

The sketch featured Culhane portraying Carlson as a fiery pundit offering a dramatic critique of the year’s Academy Awards nominees.

SNL's Tucker Carlson parody trashes Hollywood

The segment opened with a theatrical monologue that framed Hollywood as a symbol of cultural decline.

“Let’s all go to the movies. Huh? Really? Yes. Why don’t we grab some popcorn and watch American culture collapse?” Culhane’s Carlson declared.

The parody quickly set the tone for a mock commentary in which the Carlson character ridiculed several of the films up for Best Picture.

When the Weekend Update anchor asked for Carlson’s thoughts on the nominees, Culhane launched into a sarcastic critique of a film called 'Sinners'.

“Where to even begin? Oh, I know. Why don’t we talk about Sinners?” he said. “Because, of course, leftist woke America’s favorite movie this year is about sinning.”

He continued the exaggerated rant by mocking what he described as changing cultural values.

“No, sorry kids. We don’t go to church anymore. We go to Sinners. That’s the rule. That’s the goal now. What are we doing? What’s going on?” the character said, repeatedly echoing Carlson’s familiar incredulous tone.

The impression then shifted to another nominee, Hamnet, which Culhane used as a setup for another joke.

“Because we’re not allowed to say Hamlet anymore,” he said. “They took the L and gave it to the GBTQ. So it’s Hamnet now.”

Colin Jost interrupts the sketch

The satire leaned heavily on Carlson’s dramatic vocal changes and exaggerated laugh, something Weekend Update co-anchor Colin Jost eventually addressed directly.

“Man, I gotta tell you, that laugh is just awful,” Jost said.

Remaining fully in character, Culhane delivered one of the sketch’s biggest punchlines while holding up a locket to the camera.

“That’s not my laugh,” he replied. “That’s the soul of an 18th century mental patient trying to escape from this locket.”

The moment drew loud applause from the studio audience as the Carlson parody continued its rambling commentary about films and American culture.

At another point in the segment, Culhane’s Carlson lamented the disappearance of what he described as “great American films,” citing classics like 'Gone with the Wind' and the opening portion of 'Forrest Gump'.

When the anchor questioned his praise for the early scenes of 'Forrest Gump', which depict the main character being bullied, the parody doubled down on the joke.

“I love that part,” Culhane’s Carlson said before launching back into his exaggerated laugh.