“Saturday Night Live’s” Cold Open featured a spoof of crime commentator Nancy Grace and the public reaction to the arrest of Luigi Mangione, who has been accused of killing the UnitedHealthcare CEO.
The skit began with comedian Sarah Sherman’s impression of Grace, who noted that the top story was that the “masked CEO shooter has been unmasked.”
“And of course, everyone online celebrated the hard work of law enforcement in apprehending this dangerous criminal,” Sherman, as Grace, said. “Just kidding, y’all psychos made him a sex symbol.”
“That’s right, the healthcare assassin Luigi Mangione has got women and gay guys alike hot and bothered,” she continued.
Mangione was arrested and charged last week in connection to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Biran Thompson in Manhattan. He was taken into custody after an employee at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s tipped off law enforcement.
Thompson’s killing sparked a days-long manhunt. Mangione was charged with five crimes in Pennsylvania, and prosecutors are looking to extradite him to New York, though his attorney is looking to oppose it, saying he hasn’t seen any evidence that Mangione is the killer.
Several companies, including the McDonalds in Pennsylvania, are battling negative reviews as the flood of online support for Mangione continues. He’s garnered online sympathy and support, likely due to many people who have issues with the healthcare industry.
During the SNL segment, Sherman, as Grace, questioned why Americans were swooning over Mangione.
“This man is not a sex icon. This man is, and I cannot say this any clearer, a murderer,” she said incoherently.
A character played by Kenan Thompson joined the skit from the Pennsylvania McDonalds, where he was asked if he thinks people are actually attracted to Mangione.
“Well, I mean, you can look at him and tell he had h---,” Thompson said.
Grace questioned if the healthcare system in the country was really that bad, and Thompson said his insurance plan is called “Hoping it goes away.”
