A 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck New York City earlier this week, just days ahead of the upcoming total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8. The occurrence of these two astronomic and geologic events was humorously depicted in the “Weekend Update” segment on Saturday Night Live on April 6, with Marcelo Hernandez playing the role of the earthquake and Kenan Thompson personifying the eclipse.
Earthquake in the Big Apple
The earthquake rattled the city before the eclipse, catching New Yorkers off guard. However, “Weekend Update” host Colin Jost downplayed the magnitude of the event. The actor portraying the earthquake, Marcelo Hernandez, voiced his character’s insistence that the event was indeed significant.
“It was chaos. People stopped working for five, even six minutes, to text their friends,” Hernandez, as the earthquake, on the show. His character’s drama escalated when he stated, “Move over, guy who was punching women in the face. I punched the whole city in the face!”
Eclipse’s Stand
Kenan Thompson, embodying the eclipse, had a different point of view. From a satellite, the eclipse character argued with the earthquake.
“You want to do a little shimmy shake and try to steal my thunder?,” Thompson’s eclipse questioned. “Well, what you gonna do when the solar eclipse runs wild on you? Monday, all of America will be covered in eternal darkness.”
While Jost reminded the eclipse that the dark phase only lasts for about four minutes, the eclipse maintained that it would be sufficient. “[It’s] gonna feel like an eternity when you’re staring at me,” the eclipse replied.
Wrapping Up
Both the earthquake and eclipse brought humor and lightness to Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” segment. These events, prominent in both news and nature, were playfully depicted in a mock feud that entertained viewers. For more humorous and enlightening content, visit HitPlay.
