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Politics and Government News
Sam Stroozas

Jim Gaffigan debuts as Walz on the season premiere of Saturday Night Live

Two people during a skit
Jim Gaffigan plays Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz during Saturday Night Live on Saturday.
Screenshot via video

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Things to know about Minnesota according to Saturday Night Live: It’s cold, and we take the Menards rebate seriously. Even though we know it is 11 percent, not 10.

In the much-anticipated season premiere of Saturday Night Live, actor Jim Gaffigan debuted as Minneosta Governor and Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz.

In the cold open, Walz and Vice President Kamala Harris are at a Harris-Walz rally when he is introduced. Maya Rudolph returned to her role as Harris.

Gaffigan sports a Walz classic — a light blue dress shirt and navy suit jacket. He uses Walz’s now popular “weird” anecdote, says he got his suit at Costco and it is a Kirkland, where you can also get dog food (we already knew that).

But did Gaffigan sound like a Minnesotan? That’s the age old question. Despite controversy among Minnesotans over the accuracy in accents used in media to represent the state such as the classic film “Fargo,” Gaffigan shied away from the Fargo “aw jeez” sound and entered a new territory — extroverted, folksy Midwest dad.

Will Minnesota stay in the spotlight for the 50th season of the show? We’ll have to see, dontcha know.