On “Weekend Update,” Jeremy Culhane played Tucker Carlson to mock the Met Gala and criticize the ending of “Michael,” sparking debate.
A fresh “Weekend Update” moment just added more fuel to the culture-war conversation: Jeremy Culhane returned as a version of conservative commentator Tucker Carlson on “Saturday Night Live. ” taking direct aim at the Met Gala and weighing in—at length—on the movie “Michael.” The segment mixed red-carpet mockery with sharp commentary on the way the biopic portrays its titular subject.
Culhane’s Carlson opened by railroading the night’s fashion into a political jab. calling out what he characterized as expensive. showy outfits and questioning the point of the spectacle.. “Come on, everybody.. Let’s all prance around in our $100. 000 clown outfits and watch the American Empire crumble. ” he said. pushing the theme that the event was a distraction rather than something meaningful.
When Colin Jost asked whether he enjoyed the Met Gala. Culhane’s Carlson responded with a familiar insistence that he’d rather “look at” the standout celebrity fashion than engage in discussion about history.. He singled out the headline look of “The Rock in a skirt. ” framing it as a symbol of what he described as “gender confusion.” He also repeated the idea that shock-value style was the real objective.
The jokes didn’t stay on the Met Gala’s most talked-about look for long.. Culhane’s Carlson turned to other celebrities. including Madonna. using a mock description of her outfit—“The big pirate ship on her head”—as a setup to complain that he felt the look didn’t align with his expectations of attraction.. He also took a swipe at Heidi Klum. expanding the segment’s focus from one event to the broader question of who gets to present what on a high-profile red carpet.
From there. the bit escalated into imagery-laden commentary about symbolism and immigration-related or religious-themed fashion. as he claimed the “left” had achieved what it wanted.. He compared the Met’s pageantry to dramatic national landmarks. saying. essentially. that the Statue of Liberty had been transformed into something he viewed as inappropriate. then mocked what he imagined could come next for other major New York icons.
Jost pushed back with a details-based correction—reminding Carlson that he lives in Maine—which sent Culhane’s character further off into a quick tangent involving an ad for “round bananas.” The detour added a familiar “Weekend Update” rhythm: a political rant briefly derails into sillier. commercial absurdity before snapping back to entertainment.
The conversation returned to pop culture when Jost mentioned a Met Gala attendee, Jafar Jackson, who plays his uncle in “Michael.” Culhane’s Carlson seized on the mention of the movie and then pivoted into criticism of how the story ends.
He argued that the filmmakers avoided confronting something serious. pointing to the movie’s timeline and stating that it ends in 1988.. From there. Culhane’s Carlson framed his complaint around what he characterized as the part of Michael Jackson’s life that “needs to be acknowledged. ” asserting that the film’s ending means the character no longer gets the kind of “white life” he described as “beautiful.” In the same breath. he linked the idea to his claim that “all of us” are reminded of the joke he made. referencing “shamona” and “shame on ya.”
The segment ultimately closed with another celebrity-fashion critique.. Culhane’s Carlson said he wanted to discuss A$AP Rocky’s outfit—specifically calling out the color choice on the red carpet—and deadpanned that it was his “least favorite color. ” spelling out the joke with a reference to “African American.”
By mixing Met Gala theatrics with commentary on “Michael. ” the bit underscored how “Weekend Update” continues to blend mainstream celebrity moments with political framing.. Whether viewers tune in for the satire of high-fashion spectacle or the fireworks of film discourse. the Carlson-as-portrayal delivered its usual mix: punchlines built on symbolism. controversy. and the kind of cultural debate that refuses to stay contained to one topic.
Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Tucker Carlson Met Gala Jeremy Culhane Michael movie Jafar Jackson