Tendo City

That was the most painful episode I've ever sat through, and I watched early 2000's SNL. Why did they do this? Did they not know their own audience?

I heard he was going to be hosting, but didn't watch. I don't watch SNL though, so I didn't skip it... but I probably would have, because Trump's incredibly insulting sexist and racist campaign this year is awful and should be ignored. I haven't watched any of the Republican debates either, though I have watched both of the Democratic ones.

Ignoring it won't make Trump go away, and paying attention doesn't actually make him more popular, so I do enjoy watching this train wreck. That said, the audience was sorta awkwardly chuckling as the cast was forced to bend over backwards to avoid actually insulting Trump in any way at any point. It was embarrassing for all involved.

Yeah, I caught a clip of one of the skits. The cast was awkwardly acting out Trump's presidential successes after his first 100 days in office or whatever. The president of Mexico came and gave him a check for building the wall, etc. I heard he had a considerably smaller amount of stage time than a typical guest, so I guess that was good. Maybe the network foisted this upon the SNL producers, for ratings, and they had to work with what they got.

I imagine the highlight of the show was watching Larry David call Trump a racist in the middle of his opening monologue.

Well, except it was "making fun" of people shouting that, rather than actually making fun of Trump.