By now, just about everyone in the great state of Tennessee is aware of the ongoing controversy surrounding Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge), one of the most powerful Republican lawmakers in the state. Nevertheless, a recap:
Last week, liberal activism site Tennessee Holler uncovered several comments left by McNally on Instagram posts by a young gay man and aspiring superstar named Franklin McClure. The posts — thirst traps featuring McClure showcasing his nearly nude physique — were peppered with, shall we say, words of encouragement from the presiding officer of the Tennessee Senate. "You can turn a rainy day into rainbows and sunshine!" reads one. "Super look Finn," says McNally in another. Often, the lawmaker simply responds with fire and heart emojis.
The Holler interviewed McClure, who said, "We were friends back before I was more openly myself. Before I was posting things more mature. If he’s hitting on me, it’s real out of touch hitting on me.” McNally issued a statement admitting that he left the comments but denying the Holler's "implication" that they were ... randy in nature. The lawmaker ultimately gave an interview to NewsChannel 5’s Phil Williams, apologizing and admitting it was “probably not” a good idea to like one of McClure's posts about, uh, performing sex acts for weed.
Now the situation seems to have reached its apex. This weekend, Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" lampooned the 79-year-old Republican with a segment featuring freshman cast member Molly Kearney in character as McNally.
"What do you want me to say?" asks Kearney-as-McNally in the segment, which you can watch above. "I'm a hypocrite? That I was flirting with a 20-year-old dancing around in his fine washables? That I made it legal to have guns in libraries, but not drag queens? That I publicly hate things that I secretly like?"
It's worth noting that this isn't the first time SNL has roasted Tennessee's Republican leaders this season — or even this month. Just last week, "Weekend Update" kicked off with a joke at the expense of Gov. Bill Lee for signing the state's so-called anti-drag bill into law. Last season, they mocked U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn for her "what's a woman" nonsense. Mercifully, Tennessee's presence on the the show of late isn't all bad. This week's "Update" also featured Nashville's own James Austin Johnson, currently in his second season, knocking out some killer two-second impressions.
