“This week we witnessed one of the worst tragedies in American history,” said country singer Jason Aldean during the opening of the latest episode of “Saturday Night Live.”

His surprise appearance came less than a week after the Las Vegas concert massacre, which occurred during his performance at the Route 91 country music festival.

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“Like everyone,” said Aldean, “I’m struggling to understand what happened that night and how to pick up the pieces and start to heal. So many people are hurting: They’re our children, parents, brothers, sisters, friends — they’re all part of our family. So I want to say to them: We hurt for you and we hurt with you, but you can be sure that we’re going to walk through these tough times together every step of the way. Because when America is at its best, our bond and our spirit — it’s unbreakable.”

The musician then performed a cover of “I Won’t Back Down,” a song about defiance and strength from Tom Petty, who passed away this week.

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It was a rare and unifying moment from a show that is becoming increasingly one-sided and political.

The rest of the night, unfortunately, was typical of “Saturday Night Live.” A few sketches inspired chuckles, while most fell flat — and the political humor was aimed only one way. The Weekend Update segment pushed for gun control and, as always, had conservatives in its sights.