Cecily Strong returns on 'SNL' as Jeanine Pirro to Colin Jost's Pete Hegseth - USA Today
3 minute readPublished: Sunday, May 11, 2025 at 2:01 pm
**Cecily Strong Returns to "SNL" as Jeanine Pirro, Alongside Colin Jost**
"Saturday Night Live" (SNL) welcomed back a familiar face on its May 10th episode: Cecily Strong reprised her popular Jeanine Pirro impersonation. The cold open, a staple of the show, featured Strong's Pirro as the newly appointed interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., by a returning Donald Trump, played by James Austin Johnson.
The sketch poked fun at the Trump administration, with Pirro, glass of wine in hand, embracing her role. Colin Jost, a "Weekend Update" anchor, joined the scene as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, leading to a comedic spit-take moment. The cold open also included a Mother's Day theme, with cast members and their mothers taking the stage before being interrupted by Trump.
Host Walton Goggins delivered a heartfelt monologue, celebrating his mother and their close relationship. He shared anecdotes about his upbringing and invited his mother to dance with him on stage.
"Weekend Update" also touched on current events, including the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope. Jost humorously addressed complaints about the new pope being "too woke," and delivered a sharp joke about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The episode sets the stage for the Season 50 finale on May 17th, hosted by Scarlett Johansson with musical guest Bad Bunny.
Keywords: SNL, Saturday Night Live, Cecily Strong, Jeanine Pirro, Colin Jost, Pete Hegseth, James Austin Johnson, Donald Trump, Weekend Update, Walton Goggins, Mother's Day, Pope Leo XIV, Kanye, Harry and Meghan, Scarlett Johansson, Bad Bunny, Comedy, Television, NBC, Season 50, Cold Open, Sketch Comedy, News, Political Satire.