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The Saturday Night Live cold open that tied Epstein-file redactions to the Kennedy Center renaming proposal aired on December 20, 2025. James Austin Johnson played Donald Trump in a Christmas-address parody. The jokes are sketch dialogue—not evidence about the released files or a factual account of presidential remarks.
Which SNL cold open was it?
It was the December 20, 2025 episode’s opening sketch, presented as a Christmas address and featuring Johnson as Trump. Contemporaneous accounts by Mediaite and TheWrap describe the sketch’s references to both the Epstein files and the Kennedy Center.
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What were the jokes about?
Epstein-file redactions
The sketch made redactions part of its comic premise, including a line reported by TheWrap: “We like to say redacted. It’s my second favorite R-word, redacted.” Johnson delivered it in character as Trump. Mediaite also reported a joke about Trump looking good in redacted files. These are satirical lines, not confirmation of what the files contain or of anyone’s conduct.
The Kennedy Center name
The address parody also mocked the announced proposal to rename the Kennedy Center. The institution’s FY2025 budget justification identifies it as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and describes it as a living memorial to President Kennedy. That document establishes its formal institutional identity and memorial role; it does not settle the legal process for the 2025 proposal or whether a change took effect. Read the Kennedy Center’s FY2025 budget justification.
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In a December 19, 2025 report, Mediaite said the Department of Justice posted an Epstein-related document release under the Epstein Files Transparency Act and described reported redactions. That is contemporaneous secondary reporting, not an independent examination of the documents. The sketch’s jokes about what the redactions might imply should not be read as factual claims about the release. Read Mediaite’s report on the release.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where can you watch the cold open?
NBCUniversal says SNL streams live on Peacock and that every season is available there. That general statement does not confirm that this specific episode is currently in the catalog. Check Peacock’s current SNL listing for the December 20, 2025 episode before relying on it as a viewing option. Availability may depend on region and service terms. NBCUniversal’s SNL streaming information.
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