Skip to main content

Warren-ing, Warren-ing! The library is officially open at Saturday Night Live, where Kate McKinnon dressed as Elizabeth Warren and read someone to filth. Of course, members of the RuPaul’s Drag Race community commented on the reference, including queens like Trixie Mattel, Eureka O’Hara, and Ben Dela Creme. Learn more about the SNL’s “CNN Equality Town Hall Cold Open,” here.

For SNL’s skit, ‘CNN Equality Town Hall Cold Open,’ they made many references to LGBTQ+ television shows like ‘Pose’ and ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’

Why wait for the next season of RuPaul’s Drag Race on VH1 when there’s a full-on Maxi Challenge taking place during this Saturday Night Live skit? In the ‘CNN Equality Town Hall Cold Open’ segment, Kate McKinnon dressed as senator Elizabeth Warren, who answered questions from the audience. It turned into a full camp experience when the character whipped out her “reading” glasses and started throwing shade at a hypothetical question.

The cherry on top was her Sasha Velour-inspired wig reveal, complete with rose petals and clips of Papa Velour, Johnny Velour, and Eureka O’Hara from the RuPaul’s Drag Race season 9 finale. Naturally, fans of the series took to social media, sharing their love for this not-so-subtle reference.

Saturday Night Live
olin Jost as Pete Buttigieg, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Julián Castro, Chris Redd as Cory Booker, Kate McKinnon as Elizabeth Warren, Woody Harrelson as Joe Biden, Alex Moffat as Anderson Cooper, and Billy Porter as himself during the CNN Cold Open | Will Heath/NBC

Former ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ contestants and fans commented on the ‘Saturday Night Live’ reference

RuPaul’s Drag Race queens quickly took notice of this Saturday Night Live reference. Among the former contestants who tweeted about it was Trixie Mattel, the winner of All-Stars 3. Bendelacreme retweeted the video from SNL, writing, “This is incredible, Sasha Velour.”

“I was on [Saturday Night Live,] too, now,” Eureka O’Hara tweeted, who had a brief cameo during the SNL skit. “Does that mean I will also tie for an All-Stars Crown?”

Some fans suggested that Kate McKinnon should be a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race. In fact, former Saturday Night Live comedians made an appearance on the reality series. That includes Bobby Moynihan, who even went backstage during Untucked to talk to the contestants.

“When is Ru gonna have Kate McKinnon on RuPaul’s Drag Race already? The iconic visuals [are] here,” said one Twitter user, sharing a GIF of Sasha Velour. During an interview with the drag queen, Paige Turner, Kate McKinnon discussed her love for RuPaul’s Drag Race.

“Drag Race is my whole life,” McKinnon said. “I don’t know why it tickles me so much. I don’t know why it’s become such an important touchstone in my life and my entire heart.”

The ‘CNN Equality Town Hall Cold Open’ is not the first time ‘SNL’ made a reference to ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’

This is not the first skit that made reference to RuPaul’s Emmy-award winning series. In 2017, a skit entitled “Auto Shop” showed a bunch of mechanics, played by Chris Pine, Kenan Thompson, Beck Bennett, Alex Moffat, and Bobby Moynihan, who reluctantly admit they love RuPaul’s Drag Race. The skit even ended with a “Lip Sync For Your Life” moment between Chris Pine and Bobby Moynihan.

Episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race are available for streaming on VH1.com and on the VH1 App.

Best in Entertainment