James Talarico, the Democrat who defied expectations to win the Texas Senate race this past week, added another unexpected twist to his whirlwind week with a cameo appearance on 'Saturday Night Live.' The former middle school teacher, who defeated Republican Ken Paxton to secure the Senate seat, played himself in the show's cold open on Saturday night, according to TMZ.com.
The sketch, which aired during the November 7 broadcast, took aim at Republican losses in Tuesday's midterm elections. In the scene, President Trump, portrayed by cast member James Austin Johnson, addressed the American people, expressing hope that they 'enjoy' the candidates they voted for, specifically naming Jon Ossoff of Georgia, Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan and, 'of course, down in Texas, Talafreako.' The nickname, which the source notes is used by President Trump, drew laughter from the studio audience.
Talarico then walked onstage to applause. He opened his remarks by joking about his campaign's aggressive fundraising tactics, which included sending Americans daily text messages asking for $5 during the Senate race. Johnson, as Trump, quickly responded, 'In this economy, who can blame you?' according to TMZ.com.
The candidate-turned-comedian went on to suggest that Americans are eager for change, noting that viewers are tired of the show's cold opens about Trump. He then joined Johnson in shouting the iconic 'Saturday Night Live' introduction, 'Live from New York ...'
The appearance caps a remarkable week for Talarico, who spoke with TMZ DC in the lead-up to Tuesday's election and challenged Paxton to a debate on the outlet's airwaves. That debate never materialized, nor did any debate between the two candidates. Talarico's victory has energized Democrats nationally, and his 'SNL' cameo further raised his profile ahead of his Senate term.