The Oscar-winning actor kicked off the second season of the Saturday Night Live at Home as Dr. Anthony Fauci. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director, Dr. Fauci is touted as America's most trusted scientific mind amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
This cameo finally fulfilled the wishes of Dr. Fauci, who jokingly told CNN that he'd like Brad Pitt to play him on SNL. In addition to this recommendation from the real Fauci, it's also an appropriate casting is given that the widely circulated change.org petition nominates Dr. Fauci as People Magazine’s sexiest man alive. Pitt has held this title twice in 35 years.
This is the first time, Pitt hosted Saturday Night Live, although it wasn't how the show is conventionally hosted. Pitt filmed his impassive opening at his home instead of shooting it at Studio 8H, following in the footsteps of Tom Hanks, who produced the show a couple of weeks ago.
For those unaware, Pitt has made two appearances in the show, once in 1988 with host David Spade and the second in 2002 by lending his voice to an animated sketch. Sporting a gray wig, coupled with Dr. Fauci's Brooklyn accent, the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star thanked older American women for sending him "supportive, inspiring and sometimes graphic e-mails."
Later in the show, he debunked coronavirus related misinformation that's stopping a lot of people from stepping outside their homes. Some of this misinformation allude to President Donald Trump and the White House, as Pitt’s Fauci said has taken liberty with some of the health experts' guidelines.
Keeping in line with that, he then translated some of Trump's recent medical remarks, like the time when he claimed the medical companies will come up with a vaccine relatively soon. "Relatively soon’ is an interesting phrase," Pitt noted, adding whether he meant, relative to the entire history of Earth.
Referring to Trump's belief that coronavirus would disappear like a miracle, he said miracles aren't meant to be Plan A. He then referred to Trump's earlier statement where he referred to coronavirus tests as "beautiful," Pitt said he wouldn't describe the tests as beautiful unless people consider having a cotton swap tickling their brains as beautiful.
It is worth mentioning here that the real Dr. Fauci has refrained from talking about the president's widely criticized remarks about using disinfectants and sun's ultraviolet rays to treat coronavirus, Pitt’s iteration of him did not hold back, saying the virus can be cured if everyone takes the Tide Pod challenge.