The New York earthquake and solar eclipse go head-to-head on SNL

The skit skewered the city’s subpar response to the earthquake under Mayor Eric Adams

What's more impressive - a few minutes of shaking or the world plunging into darkness in the middle of the day?

That was the question posed by Saturday Night Live who pitted New York earthquake against solar eclipse during its latest round of skits this weekend.

The solar eclipse — portrayed by Kenan Thompson in a huge pie-like headpiece — went head-to-head with the 4.8-magnitude earthquake, played by Marcello Hernández in a seismograph shirt and a hat adorned with New York landmarks.

During the Weekend Update section, hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che quizzed the pair.

SNL cast members Marcello Hernández, left, and Kenan Thompson, right, portray the New York City earthquake and April’s solar eclipse, respectively, during a skit on 6 April, 2024 (NBC/Saturday Night Live)

The earthquake boasted that its tremors caused people to stop "working for five — even six minutes — to text their friends, ‘Did you just feel something?'”

The earthquake quipped that it had caused half-hour flight delays - rather than the usual hour-long delays.

The earthquake then bragged how it “rattled its way” to the top of the headlines.

The eclipse then interjects, and accuses the earthquake of stealing his spotlight.

“You want to do a little shimmy shake and try to steal my thunder. Well, what you’re gonna do when the solar eclipse runs wild on you," Thompson said, using Hulk Hogan's old wrestling taunt. "Come Monday, all of America will be covered in eternal darkness."

With their best pro-wrestling impressions, the pair ultimately decide to team up, with the earthquake agreeing to rumble again on Monday during the eclipse.

“That’d be biblical!” Thompson said. “That’s the kind of thing that used to make ancient people throw a virgin into a volcano.”

It wasn’t their only point of agreement — they also decided that the city's response to the earthquake was lackluster at best.

“Well don’t worry, I’m sure Mayor Adams will have it totally under control,” Thompson said, before he and the earthquake burst into laughter.

City officials, including Mr Adams, have faced questions on why the city sent an emergency text 30 minutes after the earthquake, according to The New York Times.

The earthquake did not cause any known injuries or cause major structural damage. It was the largest in the city in 140 years.

The solar eclipse is taking place on Monday, 8 April and will be visible across areas of 15 states, Mexico's Pacific Coast, and northeastern Canada.

Approximately 31 million people live within the path of the totality — where the full eclipse will be visible — and another 150 million are within 200 miles of it, according to NASA.

New York state is in the path of totality, but not the city. If anyone wants to watch the sun disappear behind the moon, they'll have to drive to parts of upstate or Buffalo to do so.