What made me laugh was how the audience sounded dumbfounded by the skit. They didn’t laugh all that much, and for those that did, some of it sounded like nervous laughter.
It’s safe to say that most people who attend SNL tapings are leftist, and this audience in particular probably got the joke that this skit was slamming the metrosexuals and elites of the NYT. I’m guessing most of them were offended by the skit for daring to slam the NYT in particular and smarmy metrosexuals in general.
Given that the reporter speaking about Alaska was the normal and authoritative character in the skit, and given that he was appalled by the freak-like, out-of-touch nature of the other reporters, this skit was clearly mocking the NYT.
I noticed that as well.