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Oprah & Stedman Showed Up On 'SNL' To Talk A Presidential Run & It's Flawless
Following her big speech at the Golden Globes, America wants to know if Oprah Winfrey is running for president — and, if so, if anyone could possibly beat her. Well, Oprah and Stedman Graham graced SNL's Weekend Update stage — or at least Leslie Jones and Chris Redd did, as Oprah and Graham — and they've got an answer to at least one of those questions. If Oprah ran for president, there's only one thing that could beat her: "Bread!"
There's been so much speculation about whether Oprah will run in 2020, so of course SNL's Weekend Update host Colin Jost had to ask a few questions on the matter. But just like Oprah in real life is keeping her cards close to her chest on this particular issue, Jones' Oprah also wasn't willing to give a concrete answer. "Colin, I've thought about it for a long time, and I'd love to give you an answer," she said, her sentences peppered by supporting statements from Stedman. "But, I don't know. This is America, running for a political office is tough. But it would be worth it to serve my country."
After finishing her answer, Stedman's last, interjected comment was "Which is why we're gonna do it" — the same sort of assuredness he showed on the subject earlier, when he stoked rumors of her run by saying that “It’s up to the people. She would absolutely do it.”
Jost's next question touches on something else that just about everyone would ask if Oprah were to officially throw her hat into the ring. With all of the power she already has, why would she ever even want to run for president? The answer SNL's Oprah gives is both funny and totally legitimate, as is so often the case with this show. "I need to get white women back on track," she says. "Ever since I've been off the air, they've gotten outta control! They voted for Trump, they voted for Roy Moore, they kept 12 different shows about flipping houses on air. It's a mess!"
A majority of white women did, in fact, vote for both Trump and Roy Moore, so SNL's Oprah has a point there. Her next point is bit more suspect, however. "Somebody needs to look these women in the eye and say, 'You deserve my three favorite things: love, respect, and a new panini maker!'" she says triumphantly, before pointing to the people in the audience who will get new panini makers. The Oprah giveaway was, of course, a typical feature of her The Oprah Show.
The Weekend Update segment also managed to touch on the elements of a potential Oprah presidency that would be, let's say, a bit more problematic. One of her qualifications, she explains, is that "I'm the only woman in America who's on a first name basis with Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, and Dr. Dre." Stedman then chimes in to say that "That's the whole medical community!" Oprah in real life, however, has a serious weakness for crank medicine, including that propagated by Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz.
"I'm sure you would be great, but some people are saying that we don't need another celebrity president," Jost says, again echoing the concerns of many Americans — even those who loved her Golden Globes speech. And while real life Oprah hasn't offered up her thoughts on that matter, SNL's Oprah voices what Oprah would have to say, if indeed she did decide to run for president. "And I certainly understand that," she says. "But I disagree."
Right now, we don't know where exactly Oprah stands — but with all of the excitement around a potential Oprah candidacy now, she's going to have to come out and say it for sure sooner or later.