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Matt Damon Hosts SNL, Revives Kavanaugh in Satirical Cold-Open

5/10/2026

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Summary

Matt Damon Hosts

Matt Damon hosted SNL on May 9, 2026, reprising Justice Brett Kavanaugh in the episode’s cold-open.
In the bar scene, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said he ended abortion while Pete Hegseth claimed he started a war and Kash Patel joined the joke about a third term for U.S. President Donald Trump.
Noah Kahan performed as Matt Damon promoted The Odyssey (July 17, 2026) and SNL returns May 16, 2026 with Will Ferrell and Paul McCartney.

Summary

Patel Lawsuit

Kash Patel has filed a lawsuit against The Atlantic and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick alleging defamation over claims that his alleged drinking problem has affected his work.
In the sketch Patel jokes that he brings his own alcohol to bars because people think he is “a kid with a fake ID,” a line cited in the lawsuit’s context.
Patel also reveals in the sketch that his girlfriend wants to open their relationship, saying she wants to bring other men into the bedroom while he stays in the living room.
The bar setting for the cold open was identified as Martin’s Tavern, a historic Washington, D.C. dive bar.
Matt Damon previously portrayed Justice Brett Kavanaugh on SNL’s September 2018 season-44 premiere, parodying Kavanaugh’s Senate testimony.

Summary

Fey Praises Damon

Tina Fey called Matt Damon’s 2026 Brett Kavanaugh impression one of SNL’s greatest political performances, praising its accuracy.
She noted the tonal shift from Damon’s angry 2018 Senate hearing portrayal to a relaxed bar scene.
The standing ovation sparked talk that SNL could book Damon for more charged sketches.
Social-media users shared the clip and predicted a wave of memes.

History

Historical Context

Saturday Night Live, whose live political cold-opens have shaped elections since its 1975 debut, aired a September 29 2018 season-44 cold open that addressed Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. The show’s earlier “SNL Effect” in the 2008 presidential race showed two-thirds of surveyed voters saw its political sketches and 10 % said they swayed their vote, underscoring SNL’s lasting influence on national discourse.

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Matt Damon Hosts

Matt Damon hosted SNL on May 9, 2026, reprising Justice Brett Kavanaugh in the episode’s cold-open.
In the bar scene, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said he ended abortion while Pete Hegseth claimed he started a war and Kash Patel joined the joke about a third term for U.S. President Donald Trump.
Noah Kahan performed as Matt Damon promoted The Odyssey (July 17, 2026) and SNL returns May 16, 2026 with Will Ferrell and Paul McCartney.

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