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One of the funniest sketches of the entire 50th season may be the one just dropped by Saturday Night Live! While the viewers laugh underwater, they soak in the rendition of George Washington by Nate Bargatze in “Washington’s Dream 2.” Already viral on Instagram, the sketch has Bargatze playing a bewildered Washington trying to explain the strange Americanisms of food naming to a doubtful crew.
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Washington lays out the grand scheme: Namely, that animals shall be called by one name whilst alive and by a completely different name when considered as food: “Cows will be called beef, pigs will be pork.” Then one of the men suggests that chicken will just be chicken, and Washington says, “That one stays.” The real punchline comes when he goes on to proudly list all the new foods ever created-hamburgers (hellooo, beef, not ham) and buffalo wings (chicken, not buffalo!). When Washington finally says he doesn’t even know what goes into making a hot dog, the war spirit comes out in him and he orders the inquisitive sailor to “Get out. Just go over the side,” bon voyage!
The timelessness of the phrase, delivered with exquisite timing to such a totally weird premise, struck a fiery chord with viewers. One viewer summed up the consensus perfectly: “One of the best-written sketches ever 😂.” Very true. The writing is sharp, the idea is so stupid that genius is behind it, and Bargatze’s deadpan delivery was exactly what was needed.
Another viewer even laid out some of the comedic principles that made it work so well: The pacing is so good. Also, I like how for the most part he’s looking off into the distance. Not really at the men right in front of him.” This keen observation that Bargatze looking afar simply adds to the absurdity-that is Washingtonly and insane at the same time.
“When some fellow declared we don’t know what’s in hot dogs, but we’re for sure gonna have 7 of them,” practically encapsulates the American experience,” said a commenter, addressing the hot dog reveal especially well. Another chimed in from across the pond: “Some philosopher in Nüremberg, Germany, once said ‘only god and the butcher know what’s in the sausages,’ indicating that this anxiety over mystery meat is indeed worldwide.”
What makes this sketch so successful is that it really turns all those weird American food naming conventions that we’ve all just brushed off into downright absurd realities when one starts thinking about it. Hamburgers are not ham; buffalo wings are not buffalo, and hot dogs are… well, whatever they are. The sketch not just presents how absurd it all is but also goes to create a full-blown historical fiction for these names to coexist, which is complete comedic genius.
The comment section became a mad love fest for Nate Bargatze, with viewers clamoring for his next hosting gig. “Nate needs another go at hosting, as does Chance the Rapper and bring back Donald Glover too!,” a user wrote, sounding like a dream lineup. Another retorted, “Please never stop doing this whenever Nate is a host. So damn funny 😂😂😂😂,” a statement that sounds widely agreed upon.
Viewers from across oceans were already jumping in on the jokes, with one from Portugal saying amid laughter, “Lol…hugs from Lisbon Portugal 😂😂😂😂😂,” and the Spanish-speaking one declared, “De lo mejor que he visto en mi vida,” which means “The best thing I’ve ever seen in my life.” Comedy certainly has no borders.
The sketch is clever without being full of itself, goofy without pissing on your intelligence, and relatable in a “why have we never questioned this before?” kind of way. This sort of comedy makes you laugh at first and keeps tickling your funny bone hours later when you find yourself dying at the memory of Washington telling his crew that they just have to accept buffalo wings as chicken.
If the viewers’ reactions are anything to go by, SNL is hitting some highs in its fiftieth season, and this Nate Bargatze episode, at least, seems to be the zenith of skills. Several comments described it as one of the best episodes of the whole season, while one user said, “This was one of the best episodes of SNL all season. 🤣🤣🤣🤣,” and another replied, “This has to win everything 😂🙌❤️.”
What’s interesting about this sketch is how timely it is yet timeless. The food naming conventions it attacks have been around forever; it’s just that in terms of delivery, it is so fresh and current. The “get out of the boat” moment, in particular, masterfully balances between the historical setting and modern-day humor that SNL really nails when they’re on top of their game.
There’s a separate charm to it-they don’t try too hard. It’s not about sending some heavy political message or convincing you that it’s an all-encompassing intellectual metaphor. “Washington’s Dream 2” is downright funny, from a simply funny concept to timing and delivery executed with bridal-worthy precision. Sometimes what makes the simplest idea the funniest is that it’s executed with such brilliance.
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It shall be curious to see if SNL sticks to producing such brilliant content as this season goes on. For now, they surround themselves in the glory of one of those few sketches that everyone is going to be sharing and quoting for years. And seriously, anytime someone asks what’s in a hot dog, All I hear is Nate Bargatze’s George Washington saying, “Nobody knows,” and then forcefully telling us all to get out of the boat.