Texas Republican Sen. Cruz launched his own version of Sesame Street on the "Newsmax Kids" network, in SNL's Cold Open on Saturday.
"I'm Texas Senator — and the last one invited to Thanksgiving — Ted Cruz," Cruz, played by cast member Aidy Bryant, says at the start of the skit. "For 50 years, I stood by as Sesame Street taught our children dangerous ideas like numbers and kindness, but when Big Bird told children to get vaccinated against a deadly disease, I said enough and I created my own Sesame Street called Cruz Street. It's a gated community where kids are safe from the woke government."
The skit features an appearance by Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, toting an AR-15 and spouting QAnon conspiracy theories. Big Bird himself also shows up, experiencing negative side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine. But "resident medical expert" Joe Rogan comes along to provide Big Bird with zinc and ivermectin.
Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.
The letters of the day on Cruz Street are "CRT" — which stand for either "critical race theory" or "caucasian rights trampled," Cruz says.
Later, he introduces "the Proud Boys" — Bert and Ernie — mistaking the gay couple for members of the right-wing militia.
There's also Oscar the Slouch, whom Cruz says has been trained by the Democrats to "suck off the teet of the government," and "the recount Count," who will explain how Donald Trump really won the election.
Watch it below:
