(New York Jewish Week) — “Saturday Night Live” has a new Chuck Schumer: cast member and Jewish comedian Sarah Sherman.
The native of a “really Jewish Long Island” played the New York Democrat and Senate majority leader in last night’s cold open of the show. A parody of last week’s Jan. 6 hearings, the skit featured Sherman and another Jewish cast member, Chloe Fineman, who played Nancy Pelosi. The two reenact previously unseen footage shown in the hearing, in which a frantic Pelosi is seen calling for more help to be sent to the U.S. Capitol as rioters gather outside.
In the “SNL” version, however, Sherman — sporting Schumer’s signature reading glasses and towering hairline — seems more concerned with lunch. “Yes, we still haven’t received any of our lunch orders!” Sherman brays into the phone. “And yes, I did change the drop-off location, due to some unfortunate treason, but it should have arrived by now.”
Later, after “Pelosi” threatens to punch President Trump in the face, “Schumer” adds, “Let me tell you, if Trump comes, I’m going to let him punch me in the face. I’ll go to the hospital. Free soup!”
Former cast member Alex Moffat had previously portrayed Schumer.
It’s hardly the first time that the show has cast a woman as a male politician: Former cast member Kate McKinnon did a memorable Rudolph Giuliani, and former guest host Melissa McCarthy played one-time Trump spokesman Sean Spicer to such devastating effect that it reportedly riled his boss.
Comedy fans seemed to enjoy Sherman’s take on the Brooklyn-born Schumer.
Sherman, a graduate of Great Neck South High School, joined the “SNL” cast last year, after coming to notice as a stand-up who performed as “Sarah Squirm.” She’s also dipped her toe into politics, having campaigned for presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders in 2020.
