Wellness guru and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson made a splash at the second night of the first Democratic primary debate. After her closing statement — in which she challenged President Donald Trump to a duel on the political field, promising to fight with “love” — she became Democrats’ breakout meme. Even though Saturday Night Live is currently on its summer hiatus, Kate McKinnon has already crafted her Williamson impression as the primaries take off.
McKinnon debuted her Williamson impression on Late Night with Seth Meyers, who explained that she had sat in the Late Night writers room during the debate telecast. First, she dazzled with her best Sen. Elizabeth Warren impersonation. “I got a plan for my fight, and a fight for my plan,” she said, with Warren’s signature pointed voice. Next, she took on Williamson. Bugging her eyes out, McKinnon captured Williamson’s monotone, airy diction, and joked about “gathering all the sage in America” and harnessing “the energy of babies.” She absolutely nailed Williamson’s, uh, unique background and debate performance, while playing into the meme of Williamson as a hippie witch. “I would say to Donald Trump, 'Boyfriend, you chill,'” McKinnon as Williamson said.
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Meyers and McKinnon lamented that Williamson may not survive the Democratic primaries through the fall, when Saturday Night Live returns for its 45th season. Williamson’s political future may have gotten a short-term boost, but it remains to be seen if she will be a force among the Democratic field. McKinnon has previously portrayed several other politicians, including Hillary Clinton, Jeff Sessions, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, so no matter who comes out of the primaries, she’s sure to put her talents to good use.
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