Bill Murray makes glorious return to SNL as Steve Bannon during cold open

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Ever since SNL started bringing in Alec Baldwin to impersonate presidential candidate, and then (*deep sighs*) president of the United States, Donald Trump, the sketches have featured appearances from the other cartoon characters Trump surrounds himself with. One of those was Steve Bannon, and he was portrayed not by a cast member in makeup, but rather just a robe-clad version of Death. But this last Saturday the robe came off, and underneath was none other than Bill Murray playing the former chief strategist for Trump. He came back (along with returning vet Fred Armisen), and detailed all the many plans he has to get people back on the “Bannon Canon”. This includes supporting other disgraced figures for president, such as Youtube star Logan Paul, Martin Shkreli and Jared Fogle. But also keep on the lookout for Bannon's line of beauty products.  You can watch the sketch above, with Murray coming in at exactly the 4:17 mark. I totally understand if you want to skip right to the Murray goodness.

I always liked the idea of Bannon being portrayed as Death on the show, instead of having one of the cast members do a silly impersonation of him. But if they were to get anyone in the world to play the self-aggrandizing, pretentious, oily Bannon, Murray is the only choice. He plays him in a way that's goofy and endearing, and I can only hope they bring him back a few times in the future. I never thought I'd say this, but please find a way to stay in the news, Bannon.