A recent political sketch from “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) called “The White Potus” has caused an uproar among constituencies on all sides. It’s an important reminder of the limits of comedy and more fundamentally, misrepresentation of public figures. The sketch featured U.S. President Donald Trump and his family enjoying time at a fictional tropical hotel, echoing themes from the popular HBO dark comedy “The White Lotus.” It has since been met with intense criticism over its portrayal of British actress Aimee Lou Wood. The portrayal featured outrageous prosthetic buck teeth, which were deeply offensive to many.
Civil and constitutional critics accuse the SNL writers of crossing an ethical line. Thus, they take issue with making fun of Wood’s appearance, since that’s the same as “punching down.” Wood’s reaction to the story’s depiction was more personal. She termed it “really mean and unfunny,” announcing it was a “really bad idea” to make a joke about her appearance. This incident ignited heated debates over the morality of humor. It caused Americans to think about its effects, especially on those who serve in the public sphere.
The sketch’s premise tied into a broader narrative regarding U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial pledge to remove fluoride from drinking water across the nation. Any sketch about privilege and wealth should be intended to reveal how ridiculous those things are. It became buried under a wave of attacks on Wood’s character, focusing especially on her “all-American, fake-looking teeth.”
Jan Ravens, a seasoned comedian and impressionist, criticized the SNL writers for failing to “read the room,” suggesting that the joke missed its mark. “You might make a joke about Donald Trump’s appearance because you’re definitely not punching down on the most powerful man in the western world,” Ravens stated. Her comments illustrate a developing issue in the comedy community in which satire vs. sensitivity is becoming an increasingly debated topic.
Unfortunately, in stark contrast to this understanding, Francine Lewis, another comic and impressionist, came out against the very purpose of comedy. In response, she recognized that Wood’s feelings were valid but asserted that comedy pushes envelopes and crosses lines. “To make comedy funny, unfortunately you have to overstep the mark,” Lewis remarked, indicating that such risks are inherent in comedic performance.
Lewis also talked about her own experiences with impressions, sharing that she has long changed her appearance to do comedy. “People that say you’re a troll, you’re a bully… I find myself hiding at celebrity events because I think ‘oh I do their impression, they might not like me’,” she explained. This mood speaks to the dangerous state many comedians find themselves living in when their art crosses lines into contentious, difficult issues.
Our old pal Steve Nallon, a member of that same great comedy scene, had something to add. He stressed that exaggeration and caricature are at the root of comedy. What caricaturists do by nature, of course, is double down on the physicality. If a caricaturist can’t draw a bozo, then why have a caricaturist,” said Nallon. He further emphasized that satire serves to expose hypocrisy and challenge pomposity: “You’re pricking pomposity and you’re exposing hypocrisy. That’s the point of satire.”
Here are just a few of their many comments: Nallon advised public figures to expect humor at their expense. “Maybe it’s not a bad lesson to learn that you’ve got to have the mickey taken out of you occasionally,” he said, underscoring the fine line comedians must navigate between humor and offense.
The culture war being waged over the SNL sketch has led to valuable discussions about what society should accept from comedians in the current political climate. Many comedians acknowledge that sensitivities have evolved over time, as Ravens noted: “I think rightly so,” referring to changes in audience expectations compared to earlier in her career.
The question of the role of satire in public discourse is a complicated one. This iconic SNL sketch serves as a powerful example of how comedy can challenge the status quo and encourage necessary discussions around societal expectations and values.
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