SNL mocks New York governor Andrew Cuomo for nursing home scandal

New York governor was mentioned in two segments on Saturday

Saturday Night Live (SNL) has mocked New York governor Andrew Cuomo for allegedly covering up Covid-19 nursing home deaths.

During Saturday’s episode of SNL, hosted by Bridgerton actor Rege Jean Page, the New York governor was mocked in two separate segments.

Mr Cuomo was first mentioned in the show’s cold open, which featured cast member Chloe Fineman as Britney Spears giving celebrities the chance to give “lame” apologies, after she received multiple following the airing of the documentary Framing Britney Spears.

Fineman’s Spears first interviewed Texas senator Ted Cruz, who is under fire for flying to Cancun, Mexico, while millions were without power in his state, before then bringing out Mr Cuomo.

The governor, played by cast member Pete Davidson, has faced criticism recently for allegedly covering up the amount of nursing home deaths caused by Covid-19. Mr Cuomo has denied the claims.

He has also been accused of trying to convince New York assemblyman Ron Kim to cover it up, with the official alleging that Mr Cuomo told him that he would feel his “wrath” and “destroy me” if he did not.

After Fineman’s Spears asked what happened with the nursing homes, Davidson’s Cuomo claimed that the state was just moving the bodies in the way they do at “Disney World”.

“Some of the people who died in the nursing homes were not counted as nursing home deaths, they were counted as hospital deaths,” Davidson’s Cuomo said.

“Which is basically what happens at Disney World okay? People die and they move the bodies, they say ‘oh I guess Brenda died in the parking lot, not on the tea cups,’” he added.

After trying to get away without apologising, Davidson’s Cuomo eventually said “sorry”, while looking extremely uncomfortable doing so.

Davidson’s Cuomo then flew into a rage describing how he would bury New York City mayor Bill de Blasio “in the tallest grave this city has ever seen” because he recently called for him to be investigated over the scandal.

He then apologised again, telling Fineman’s Spears: “I get a little angry now and then - and always.”

Later on in the show, during the Weekend Update segment hosted by Colin Jost and Michael Che, the governor was once again mocked for his role in the nursing home scandal.

“New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, who looks like all three Goodfellas at once, said he hopes to legalise marijuana next month,” Che said.

He added: “Cuomo is hoping marijuana will provide New Yorkers a safe, effective way to forget about the nursing-home stuff.”

Later in the segment, Che mocked the governor again, saying: “Researchers studying the remains of a woolly mammoth have uncovered the world’s oldest DNA sequence.

“In fact, it’s so old Andrew Cuomo is covering up its death.”