Mike Rice has some competition.
“Saturday Night Live” spoofed the Rutgers University men’s basketball firestorm and North Korea situation on this weekend’s episode, which was hosted by comedian Melissa McCarthy.
McCarthy appeared as coach Sheila Kelly, an abusive women’s basketball coach at fictitious Middle Delaware State. The skit – presented as an ESPN “Outside the Lines” report – shows the coach throwing bricks at her players, threatening them with a bat, screaming obscenities and even using a stun-gun, a send-up to the Rutgers uproar that followed the release of explosive practice footage showing Rice berating and demeaning his players.
The episode’s cold open featured cast member Bobby Moynihan as North Korea leader Kim Jong Un – discussing his evolving stances on gay marriage and later interacting with the actual Dennis Rodman, his “friend for life.”
The NBA legend, clad in Christmas-colored pants and a strappy leather top, gave “Kim” a fist-pound before introducing the show.
Rodman wasn’t the only celebrity to make a surprise appearance on the episode. “Game of Thrones” star Peter Dinklage also stopped by the set, blubbering into his glass during a Weekend Update installment of Moynihan’s “Drunk Uncle” skit.
McCarthy’s monologue saw the performer wobbling across the stage on a pair of platform heels, leaning on a chair and diffusing the predicament with some New York City jokes.
“This smells like a lot of musicians,” she said after deliberately falling on the stage. The episode was McCarthy’s second hosting effort.