Jim Gaffigan takes a break from the SNL waltz to host Al Smith's “Family Feud” night with Trump and Letitia James

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email to get exclusive U.S. reporting and analysis delivered to your inbox

Get our free Inside Washington email

Comedian Jim Gaffigan took a break from the role of Tim Walz Saturday Night Live to joke about the awkwardness of the crowd in the room at the Al Smith dinner and joke that the seating arrangement was all of a piece Family feud.

The comedian took no prisoners, Republican or Democrat, in his roast at the New York charity event on Thursday night, awkwardly referencing the state's attorney general, Letitia James, who was sitting just feet away from Donald Trump – the man she successfully gave $454 to filed a civil fraud lawsuit against.

“You know this seating arrangement is weird, right, I mean, it looks like the plutocrats are about to play family feud,Gaffigan said.

“This space is undeniably impressive, it really is,” he continued.

“The prestige, the wealth, the allegations… Which reminds me, Leticia James is here, she's had a great year. She’s just back there watching you all…she’s watching.”

Trump's face, meanwhile, remained expressionless as James smiled at the mention of her name.

In another particularly awkward moment that drew audible gasps from the audience, Gaffigan mocked Trump's false claims that migrants eat pets – as well as his infamous comments about women in the US Access Hollywood Band.

“During the first and only debate, President Trump talked about migrants taking and eating cats,” he said.

“If you're keeping track at home, this is the second time cat-catching has been part of a campaign theme,” he joked, as Trump awkwardly turned his head to look around the room, grinning.

Gaffigan continued to shine a spotlight on the politicians in the room, taking aim at Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and controversial New York Mayor Eric Adams.

Addressing the criminal charges against Adams, Gaffigan joked, “I would also like to welcome Mayor Adams, brought to you by Turkish Airlines.”

But Trump retaliated by mocking Gaffigan for playing Tim Walz SNL when it came to his keynote speech.

“Jim played Tim Walz last time SNL“said Trump. “And this will be a very short appearance, I hope, Jim. But it was fun while it lasted, right?”

He also responded to Kamala Harris and Walz's absence from the charity event.

“Unfortunately, Governor Walz isn't here himself, but don't worry, he'll say he was there,” Trump said, referring to the vice president's previous false claim that he was there during the Tiananmen Square massacre in June Been in Hong Kong in 1989, China.

“But I have to say, I was shocked to hear that Kamala skipped the Al Smith dinner,” Trump added. “I was really hoping she would come because we can't get enough of hearing her beautiful laugh. She laughs like crazy. We would recognize it anywhere in this room.”

The vice president skipped the star-studded charity dinner to campaign in Wisconsin, instead appearing via video address alongside comedian Molly Shannon, who reprized her “superstar” Catholic schoolgirl character Mary Katherine Gallagher.

In the skit, Harris took a swipe at Trump's refusal to accept the 2020 election results and brought up his comments calling Detroit “a mess” in a speech at the Detroit Economic Club last week.