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Adios, SNL
Unfunny Comedians Are just a Symptom, Institutionally Sanctioned Sexism is the Disease
Last weekend Saturday Night Live reran their 2024 post-election episode. At such a devastating moment in history, what feels like a rip in time, the famously sharp opening monologue could’ve been so many things for comedy-loving liberals: commiserating, politically incisive, or even hope-giving. Alas. The chord Lorne Michaels, et al, decided to play was old-school sexism. But, you know, like funny.
Bill Burr’s misogynistic monologue was everything but funny. It was a regressive, reductive, and obtuse red herring. It was a colossal disappointment from a self-proclaimed liberal. But if anything still shocks me at least that means I haven’t lost my humanity yet. I’m grateful for that much amidst the bigotry and chaos.
Burr’s October 2020 opening monologue was disappointingly sexist. Two weeks before the Biden vs. Trump election, SNL could’ve offered political insight, camaraderie, or comedy. But even humor was a bridge too far for a comedy show. Instead, they paid Bill Burr to call white women “my bitches” in an ineffective attempt to recenter people of color in the “woke” movement, if advocating for equality was actually the goal.
