ENTERTAINMENT‘SNL’ Season 51 Finale Goes Big With Will Ferrell, Brutal Jeffrey Epstein Ghost Sketch and Final Jabs at Donald Trump
Will Ferrell returned to ‘SNL’ with a controversial cold open.
May 20 2026, Published 5:33 a.m. ET
Saturday Night Live closed out Season 51 by going straight for shock.
With Will Ferrell back as host, the finale opened on a surreal note: Donald Trump, played by James Austin Johnson, is visited in his sleep by the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein.
Will Ferrell came back as host and ghost of Jeffrey Epstein.
“Don’t worry, Donald, it’s me, your best friend, Jeffrey Epstein,” Ferrell’s ghost says, to which Johnson’s Trump replies, “I thought you were dead.
“I am, remember? I killed myself. Wink!” Ferrell adds.
A Cold Open That Went There
James Austin Johnson’s Donald Trump faced the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein.
The sketch leaned into the long-running association between the two, with Epstein quipping, “We should have taken more pictures,” and Trump replying, “No, it’s really bad that we took any.”
Epstein delivers the closing jab: “Well, Donny, just remember, no matter how many wars you start or how bad you tank the economy as a distraction, people will always associate you with me.”
The two end the sketch with a duet of “Just the Two of Us.”
Will Ferrell’s Monologue Gets Hijacked
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Chad Smith interrupted Will Ferrell’s monologue.
Ferrell’s return as host didn’t start cleanly. Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith walked onstage first, pretending to be Ferrell.
“I’m thrilled to be back here at Saturday Night Live,” Smith said, mimicking Ferrell’s history with the show.
When Ferrell appeared, the bit leaned into their resemblance. Paul McCartney joined in from the audience, telling Smith, “Nice try, Chad. Get back behind the drums where you belong.”
Familiar Faces and Running Bits
The finale brought back recurring impressions from the season. Aziz Ansari returned as Kash Patel for the third straight week, while sketches revisited figures like Kristi Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Noem was shown starring in TV ads months after being fired, while Hegseth appeared in a bar promoting a podcast.
‘Weekend Update’ Ends With a Swing
Colin Jost and Michael Che ended the season with edgy jokes.
Colin Jost and Michael Che closed out the season with their annual joke swap.
Jost read one of the night’s most uncomfortable lines: “Ye has released a new album called Bully, so please try to separate the art from the artist and remember that Ye can make awful music and still be right about Hitler.”
“Now, that joke is offensive to everybody, and I do apologize,” he continued. “I’d like to sacrifice the most important thing in my life, my beautiful, award-winning, world-famous hair.”
A barber walked on stage as Jost said, “Jerome, make me unpretty.”
Che stopped the barber before he could shave Jost’s head, however.
“No, no, no! You were really going to do it?” Che asked. “Man, you are the greatest comedian of all time.”
