Giant Panda Gives Media A Big Biden Distraction In ‘SNL’ Cold Open

President Joe Biden (played by Mikey Day) let Tian Tian the giant panda (played by Bowen Yang) avert reporters’ attention from answers to questions about world affairs and the 2024 election on “SNL” this weekend.

Day’s Biden – who continued a run of digs at the president’s age – celebrated “more pandas” coming to the U.S. following his recent meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Biden took questions at the parody press conference as he agreed that he would continue referring to China’s leader as a “dictator” and even took a “fake elevator” to avoid a reporter’s inquiry on the U.S.-Mexico border.

But after Tian Tian joined the faux presser, he offered his two cents on a big media distraction. “Am I the only one who was surprised that the presidents of the two biggest economies in the world met and everyone’s just like: what’s up with the pandas?” Yang’s character asked.

The “SNL” reporters, however, didn’t seem to get his concern.

“President Biden, Trump’s team has announced that they will replace all federal workers with Trump loyalists. My question is, panda, did you like America?” asked a mock “Axios” reporter.