Midterm spending: SNL skit targets Musk's Texas losses
Jeremy Culhane portrayed a distracted billionaire who spent $500 million on candidates in a state that voted Democratic.
By William Turner ·
Jeremy Culhane sat at the Weekend Update desk on Saturday Night Live, portraying an Elon Musk who could not stop talking about a car flip while his midterm campaign efforts collapsed. The sketch aired on the same day as the source article was published, highlighting the immediate media reaction to the election results.
The real Elon Musk spent nearly $500 million on Republican candidates for the midterms. He focused his financial backing heavily on his home state of Texas. Most statewide races in Texas turned Democratic in the election. This outcome left Musk with a large financial deficit and a loss of political control in the region he had moved his businesses to.
Colin Jost, the Weekend Update anchor, attempted to steer the conversation toward the spending. He noted that Musk had wasted half a billion dollars. Culhane, playing the role, deflected the question by describing a car flipping in the air. He compared the vehicle to a Hot Wheel and claimed he remained totally chill during the incident.
Jost then asked about the halt in Tesla Cybertruck production, another major news item from Texas. Musk responded by referencing the car flip again. He described a scene where he, a friend, and a character named Che were hanging out. He claimed his leather jacket transformed into a suit of armor, prompting people to shout his name.
Jost summarized Musk's political journey for the audience. He pointed out that Musk moved to Texas to avoid California taxes and built his own town there. Jost noted that Texas is now run by Democrats, meaning Musk will have to pay taxes again. Musk replied with a single word, saying it made him feel bad.
The sketch concluded with Musk requesting an epic vulgar roast from his AI, Grok. The AI generated several insults about Musk. One line stated that if Musk had 100 more kids, one of them might talk to him. Another compared his television appearances to an episode of a show called Hate on the Spectrum. Musk screamed for Grok to shut down before leaving the desk.
