"Saturday Night Live" went so far as to suggest that President Biden may have brain damage in a joke made by "Weekend Update" host Michael Che.
Che used the claim as a punchline in a joke following the news that the president recently signed a bill to avert an impending strike by railway workers ahead of the holidays.
"President Biden signed a measure that would force railway workers to accept a deal that averts a strike but does not include paid sick leave. But how do you expect Biden to care about sick leave when he shows up to work every day with full-blown CTE?" Che joked.
CTE is an acronym for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease usually following a history of brain trauma. Patients with CTE commonly experience symptoms such as short-term memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment and even dementia.
Though Biden’s gaffes have been frequently ridiculed by social media, "Saturday Night Live" has largely avoided satirizing the president throughout his first years in office.
In October, however, the sketch comedy show began poking fun at Biden’s gaffes and his frequent avoidance of reporters during appearances. During one "Weekend Update" segment, host Colin Jost mocked Biden’s flub while giving a speech in a car factory.
"Let me start with two words: Made in America," Biden said at the time.
"Well, let me respond with two words, Jesus H. Christ," Jost joked. "Biden was then heard criticizing reporters at the White House for shouting questions at him. Questions like, ‘What year is it?’ and ‘Who’s the current president?’ Also, they weren't reporters, they were doctors."
The same episode also featured a sketch that used Biden’s age and gaffes as issues that would make Americans "snap" in a fake game show.
"On Thursday, Biden said we are closer to nuclear Armageddon than we’ve been in 60 years," the game show host, played by Bowen Yang, read. He added, "When Joe Biden was born, we didn't have highways."
In mid-November, "Weekend Update" joked about Biden's low approval ratings and old age.
Out of the 22 episodes that aired between Jan. 30, 2021, and Jan. 22, 2022, Biden was only satirized three times in the show’s cold opening. In contrast, President Trump was satirized by guest actor Alec Baldwin at least 11 times within the 21 episodes that aired in Trump’s first year in office.
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In addition, "Saturday Night Live" avoided featuring a parody version of the president entirely in Biden’s first eight months in office.
