Aziz Ansari Portrays Kash Patel in SNL Political Sketch Discussing Iran and Prices

Aziz Ansari appeared on this week's episode of Saturday Night Live, portraying Kash Patel in a political cold open that discussed Iran and rising prices. The segment featured Colin Jost as Pete Hegseth and Ashley Padilla as Karoline Leavitt, who opened with a White House press briefing. Variety reported the episode aired this week, with the sketch beginning as Leavitt launched the briefing.

’' The remark set a sharp tone for the cold open, blending humor with references to current political figures. Ansari's Patel partnered with Jost's Hegseth to address the topics of Iran and economic pressures. The sketch unfolded at the White House, capturing a press environment where Leavitt's quip highlighted tensions around policy and personal matters.

Variety detailed the portrayals, noting Ansari's return to the show for this role. The article, written by William Earl, was published on May 2, 2026, at 9:22pm PT. In separate entertainment news, Fantaspoa, Latin America’s largest genre film festival, wrapped after screening for 550,000 fans.

The event concluded with 'Interior' leading the winning titles. Variety reported these details as part of its coverage of recent film and television developments.