Harvey Epstein — a very real Democratic assembly member of New York State's 74th district who is in fact running for city council — has since responded to the sketch, which has come as a shock to the viewers who did not realize that a real Harvey Epstein exists. Not only does he exist, he's also being a good sport about it.

Hi, I’m Harvey Epstein, and I’m running for city council of New York City. This is a real thing,” a bald-capped John Mulaney opened a fake political ad on SNL this past weekend. It is, in fact, a very real thing,