“Saturday Night Live” weighed in on the United States’ controversial TikTok ban during the show’s first episode of 2025 on Jan. 18.
Cast member Michael Longfellow issued a late-hour plea during the “Weekend Update” segment, begging for officials to save the Chinese-owned video app from the blackout that was scheduled to begin the following day.
“It’s the first political opinion I’ve ever had,” Longfellow told “Weekend Update” co-anchor Micheal Che before starting his shaky commentary that hilariously demonstrated that he had trouble separating fact from fiction on TikTok.
Longfellow spent three hilarious minutes addressing the “legitimate reasons” Che listed to justify the ban.
“Like what? Because it’s Chinese? So we’re just banning things because they’re from China now? You know who else was from China?” Longfellow asked, pointing upward. “That’s right, Jesus Christ… I thought he was Middle Eastern, but I saw it on a TikTok. Chinese. Jesus Chris was Chinese.”
As for the possibility that TikTok may be stealing user date, Longfellow said it was fine with him. “Who cares about my data?” he responded. “Oh no, China knows I like thick Latinas. Who doesn’t? Give me a break.”
Longfellow also didn’t care about the research saying watching TikTok is “bad” for users’ brains.
“Ahh, this is boring, I’m bored,” Longfellow told Che, motioning in a swipe up direction with his arm.
“Sorry. I have no attention span. I have ADHD… I’ll never forget being diagnosed. It was last year. I took a TikTok quiz, and the third time I took it, it said I might have ADHD,” he said, noting that he also received an Adderall prescription from the app.
Che also asked Longfellow if he cared to protect future generations from the dangers of using the social media app.
But Longfellow cared more about the generations “already lost,” struggling now without the app, though only for a short time since the app was quickly reinstated the next day.
“What becomes of us? How do we live now?” he wanted to know.
Che then pointed out that Longfellow had lived without TikTok for most of his life and he could just carry on living how he used to live.
“I don’t remember how. I know I lived a life before TikTok, I must have. But that boy is dead. He’s dead and he’s never coming back. Without TikTok, I don’t know anything anymore. What do I do at work? What do I even watch during a movie?”
“You watch the movie!” Che told him.
“But during, Che,” Longfellow replied. “When I get bored for like a few seconds.”
“You still watch the movie!” Che said.
“I”m moving to China,” Longfellow concluded.
“SNL” viewers applauded Longfellow’s funny commentary, with many saying they found it relatable, on YouTube.
“What do I watch during a movie actually resonates LMAO because I definitely pick up my phone during the boring parts,” one wrote.