Dana Carvey appeared as Elon Musk in the opening of Saturday Night Live’s post-election episode on November 9, 2024, after playing Joe Biden during the season. It was a switch for that sketch—not a reported permanent end to his Biden impression or a continuing handoff to Musk.
When did Dana Carvey play Elon Musk on SNL?
Carvey appeared as Musk in the cold open of the November 9, 2024, episode, the first SNL broadcast after the U.S. presidential election. The Associated Press described him as “a leaping Elon Musk” in the opening. Read the Associated Press report.
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Carvey had played Biden during the season, but the reported Musk appearance was a particular post-election sketch. The coverage does not establish that he permanently stopped playing Biden or took on Musk as a recurring role.
What did Carvey say about his Musk impression?
In remarks on his Superfly podcast with David Spade, Carvey acknowledged that he was still figuring out the portrayal: “I can’t do Elon Musk very well but I can do something that sounds not like anything.” He also said Musk’s accent was difficult to reproduce: “He has an incredible accent.” TheWrap reported Carvey’s comments and Musk’s response.
Carvey returned to the impression on Real Time with Bill Maher in March 2025. “I don’t really do it yet, but I’m working on it,” he said before attempting it. TV Insider reported the appearance on March 22, the day after the broadcast. Read TV Insider’s account.
How did Elon Musk respond?
Musk wrote on X: “Dana Carvey just sounds like Dana Carvey,” according to TheWrap. The outlet also reported that Musk criticized the show after the episode, calling SNL “dying slowly for years” and increasingly out of touch. Those were Musk’s opinions, not established assessments of the show.
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How did the Musk appearance compare with Carvey’s Biden role?
The documented roles differed in scope: Carvey played Biden during the season, while the Musk portrayal was reported as an appearance in the post-election opening. A July 2025 retrospective in The Independent said Carvey recalled that it took him about two years to lock down his Biden impression. Read The Independent’s retrospective.
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