With the world constantly serving up headline-worthy chaos, Saturday Night Live isn’t short on inspiration—and on April 5, Elon Musk once again found himself in the show’s comedic crosshairs.
In a surprise twist during the “Trump Tariff Cold Open,” Mike Myers made a guest appearance as Elon Musk, mocking the billionaire with a sketch centered around a bizarre new Tesla invention: a self-vandalizing car. Myers, donning a cheesehead hat in a nod to Musk’s real-life appearance at a failed Wisconsin political rally, quipped, “That was from when I tried to buy the election in Wisconsin. I’m an idiot. I should have just bought Wisconsin!”
The character then introduced the fictional “Tesla Model-V,” complete with “self-smashing headlights, self-slashing tires, and AI-powered graffiti.” The jab comes amid ongoing protests at Tesla dealerships and reports of vandalized cars.
Elon Musk Reacts—Predictably
As expected, Musk wasn’t amused. The Tesla CEO, who hosted SNL in 2021 but has since become critical of the show, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his disapproval: “SNL hasn’t been funny in a long time. They are their own parody.”
It wasn’t just Musk expressing disdain. Some fans called the sketch “mean-spirited” and accused SNL of mocking Musk’s Asperger’s diagnosis, which he revealed during his own hosting stint. One post from the account Autism Capital read: “This is such exceedingly bad taste. Wow. Not ever funny, just mean. Born from hate, not from humor.”
Mixed Reactions Online
While Musk’s supporters rallied behind him, calling the sketch cruel and politically charged, others were quick to mock his reaction. Comments like “Boo hoo, crybaby” and memes featuring crying cats made the rounds on social media. One user even reminded Musk of his own SNL past: “Didn’t you host a few years ago? You just don’t like it when the joke’s on you.”
More to Come?
Given Myers’ sharp portrayal and the ongoing intersection of Musk and political headlines, this probably won’t be the last time the SpaceX founder ends up in SNL’s spotlight. And if history is any guide, we can expect more fiery tweets the next time he does.
Because, really, what’s a new SNL episode without a little Musk drama?