President Barack Obama hasn’t gotten anywhere in his recent negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. So he was forced to bring in someone more qualified to negotiate with the former KGB officer — tough guy actor Liam Neeson.
During the cold open for Saturday Night Live this week, Jay Pharoah’s Obama addressed the nation over the situation in Crimea and Ukraine. Fake Obama described his hour-long phone conversation with Putin, but admitted he had trouble getting through to the Ruskie leader. So in order to accomplish what he needs to, the President was forced to turn to his favorite backup plan: Hollywood.
“Seems like being tough is more important than Mr. Putin than being rational,” faux Obama told the camera. “Desperate times call for desperate measures, so I brought in a friend.”
In a surprise cameo, Neeson — who was not the host of SNL this week — issued a very intimidating threat to Putin. After all, he’s an actor who has a lot of connections. Connections that would make Putin shake in his boots.
“Recently I received a very disturbing call: Crimea had been taken,” Neeson said in his deep voice. “I hate it when things are taken.”
Neeson was the star of 2008’s blockbuster hit Taken, as well as its 2012 sequel, Taken 2. He currently stars in the new film Non-Stop, which critics have said is basically Taken on a plane.
“During the crisis, the United States and the European Union have been more than fair, but a man like Putin doesn’t listen to reason,” Neeson said. “He’d rather ride in a motorcycle gang or get photographed shirtless on a horse.”
So in order to make it clear to the Russian leader that Obama isn’t messing around, the duo then released a video of POTUS doing intimidating, Putin-like things. Because if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.
Watch the video here:
