SNL Spoofs ‘Fake’ Interpreter at Nelson Mandela Memorial

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Saturday Night Live could not pass up the opportunity to satirize the sign language interpreter who was roundly criticized for his questionable performance at Nelson Mandela's memorial last week.

Posing as the so-called interpreter, Thamsanqa Jantjie, Kenan Thompson gesticulated wildly during the show’s opening as Jay Pharaoh’s unflappable President Barack Obama delivered a speech.

“I have been listening to what Americans are saying,” Pharaoh said in the sketch, addressing concerns about health care, “and, ah, some very valid concerns are being raised.” At that point, Thompson began shoulder dancing and raising his hands to the roof.

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After a series of crazy antics, Pharoah finally grew tired of Thompson and asked the Secret Service to haul him away.

Watch the sketch here: