#SNL Introduces Alex Moffat as Joe Biden Following Jim Carrey’s Exit

Jim Carrey has stepped down from playing president-elect Joe Biden on Saturday Night Live, opening the door for cast member Alex Moffat to succeed him. In recent weeks, Carrey had been featured as Biden in multiple sketches, often alongside Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris and Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump. Suggesting he only had a six-week deal with the show to play Biden, Carrey announced on Twitter that he was finished with the role.

“Though my term was only meant to be 6 weeks, I was thrilled to be elected as your SNL President…comedy’s highest call of duty,” Jim Carrey tweeted before Saturday night’s episode. “I would love to go forward knowing that Biden was the victor because I nailed that s—. But I am just one in a long line of proud, fighting SNL Bidens!”
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Though my term was only meant to be 6 weeks,I was thrilled to be elected as your SNL President…comedy’s highest call of duty. I would love to go forward knowing that Biden was the victor because I nailed that shit. But I am just one in a long line of proud, fighting SNL Bidens!

— Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) December 19, 2020

Hours later, Alex Moffat debuted his version of Biden in the new episode’s cold open segment. In the sketch, Beck Bennett spoofs Mike Pence getting the COVID vaccine. Rudolph also appears as Harris, introducing Biden to come out from behind a curtain. That’s when Moffat’s Biden comes shuffling out with a cane and an orthopedic boot, a nod to the president-elect’s foot fracture suffered while reportedly playing with his dog.

“You look different, somehow,” Bennett as Pence says to the new Biden.

“Yep. I’m like Colonel Sanders, every time you see me I’m a different guy,” Biden responds. “There’s a good chance this time next year I’m going to be Mario Lopez. Now, where the vaccines at?”

Moffat’s Biden then mentions how Rudolph insisted he get his immunization shot as well, with the vice president-elect responding, “I’m worried about you, Joe, especially since you’re already in a cast on day minus-40 in office.”

Biden then explains his plans to put together the “most diverse Cabinet in the history of American politics.” Harris intervenes, saying, “And I will make sure that Joe never specifies what he means by diverse. That is my Christmas present to you, America.”

“Or if you celebrate Kwanzaa,” Biden begins, prompting Harris to rush him off the stage before the president-elect can say anything more.

Biden was famously played by former cast member Jason Sudeikis for many years on SNL. He has also been played by special guests Woody Harrelson and John Mulaney. Meanwhile, Rudolph has consistently been portraying Harris since last year, managing to win an Emmy for the recurring role. As for Baldwin, who also won the Emmy for his take on Trump, he tweeted after the results of the presidential election that he’d never been “this overjoyed to lose a job before,” suggesting he might also be done with that portrayal.

Kristen Wiig hosted Saturday night’s episode of SNL with Dua Lipa serving as the musical guest. Other host and musical guest combos seen so far this season include Dave Chappelle and Foo Fighters, Issa Rae and Justin Bieber, and Chris Rock and Megan Thee Stallion. Season 46 of the series will return with new episodes in 2021. The video of the cold open sketch comes to us from Saturday Night Live on YouTube.

Topics: Saturday Night Live