Bad Bunny kicks off SNL, takes aim at critics and a surprise ‘Donald Trump’ cameo

Bad Bunny kicked off the 51st season of Saturday Night Live with sharp humour and a few jabs, especially about his latest career milestone, the Super Bowl halftime show. Taking the stage as both host and performer, the artist opened with a monologue including a tongue-in-cheek remark about his upcoming gig.

Bad Bunny kicks off SNL, targets critics

Bad Bunny poked fun at critics who questioned his selection as the headliner.

“I think everybody is happy about it, even Fox News,” he joked, quoted news agency AP. Switching to Spanish midway, he addressed his Latino fans, saying that performing at the Super Bowl in his native language was a moment of pride.

He then teased the audience, saying, “If you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn," and earned one of the night’s biggest cheers.

Bad Bunny’s SNL episode was a mix of political satire, fresh faces, and celebrity cameos as well.

Donald Trump cameo at SNL

The show's cold open mocked US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s controversial remarks about fitness in the military. While Colin Jost played Hegseth, and James Austin Johnson dropped in as Donald Trump.

“No fatties, no facial hair, no body hair — just hot, shredded, hairless men who are definitely not gay,” Jost’s Hegseth quipped.

“Because this is serious, we are facing the greatest threat to freedom and democracy the world has ever known. And we all know what that threat is.”

“Late night TV!" replied James Austin Johnson’s Trump. He barged in, as quoted by AP, “‘SNL’ 51 off to a rough start — seventeen new cast members and they got the ‘Update’ guy doing the open.”

The episode marked a new era for the long-running show following its 50th-anniversary season, with five new faces joining and several familiar names, including Ego Nwodim and Devon Walker, exiting.

Bad Bunny, however, proved to be a steady anchor amid the transition.

Doja Cat joins Bad Bunny at SNL

From a hilarious medieval sketch alongside Benicio Del Toro to an over-the-top parody featuring Doja Cat as the musical guest, he seemingly brought both charisma and comedic timing to every segment.

Beyond the laughs, his SNL gig comes at a major turning point in his career. Fresh off a record-breaking residency in Puerto Rico, the singer is set to make Super Bowl history as the first artist to perform entirely in Spanish.

Yet, even this milestone hasn’t come without controversy. His decision to skip US tour dates reportedly stemmed from concerns that ICE might target immigrants outside his concerts.

Bad Bunny on US tour controversy

The topic made it to SNL’s “Weekend Update” segment as well.

“A Trump adviser said ICE agents will attend the Super Bowl after Bad Bunny was announced as the halftime performer,” joked Michael Che. “You know, to catch all those farmworkers who can afford Super Bowl tickets.”

As SNL looks to its future, the upcoming episodes will see Amy Poehler and Sabrina Carpenter take over hosting duties.

Poehler will host on October 11, while Carpenter will pull double duty as host and performer a week later.