Lin-Manuel Miranda, Billy Porter Make Cameos in ‘SNL’ Cold Open

Saturday Night Live pulled out all the stops during their cold open to poke fun at Thursday’s LGBTQ presidential town hall, bringing out stars Billy Porter, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Woody Harrelson to help.

Anderson Cooper, portrayed by Alex Moffat, was the host of the LGBTQ town hall, held by CNN. He told the audience they were going to cover “issues affecting our community: LGBTQ and straight girls who make Pride all about them.” He then said they were “going to go out – all out,” inviting the Pose star Billy Porter to introduce the Democratic presidential candidates.

Porter first introduced Cory Booker, played by Chris Redd. “My girlfriend was in Rent, so I get it,” Redd’s Booker quipped — alluding to the New Jersey senator’s “girlfriend,” Rosario Dawson. An audience member then brought up a decades-old op-ed where the senator “said some very derogatory things about the gay community,” the fake senator said, “I don’t want you to think I’m dodging the question, so I’m going to go now.” Then he walked off the stage.

Colin Jost as Pete Buttigieg appeared before the audience next, hands awkwardly placed in front of him because “Harvard didn’t teach him where to put his hands.” He made fun of Ellen Degeneres’ controversial photo with George W. Bush recently, saying “there’s no wrong way to be gay, unless you’re Ellen this week.”

Porter introduced Elizabeth Warren next, played by Kate McKinnon. The fake Massachusetts senator reenacted the real senator’s viral moment when she answered a man’s question about gay marriage. “I would say, sir, tell me your bus stop, ’cause I want to know where you get off,” McKinnon’s Warren told the audience member. “If someone doesn’t wanna serve gay people at their small business, I bet that’s not the only thing that’s small. And when people say gay and trans people shouldn’t be included in Civil Rights Act protections, well I wish their parents had used protection.”

Lin-Manuel Miranda was a surprise appearance as Julian Castro next. He told the audience that he wanted to “apologize for not being gay, but I promise to do better in the future. However, I am Latino, which we can all agree is something.” The fake former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development nearly broke out into a Hamilton song, before Moffat’s Cooper stopped him.

Miranda wasn’t the only surprise cameo. Woody Harrelson returned to SNL after hosting the season premiere two weeks ago to portray former vice president Joe Biden. “You know me, I went to bat for marriage equality, and I believe we’re all equal whether you’re gay, lesbi, transgenital or queer ― you’re OK with Joe,” Harrelson’s Biden said, smiling at the audience. He also planted a big kiss on Cooper’s lips, bringing the town hall to an end. Watch the entire thing above.