The show is known for its humorous takes on popular movies and TV series, often sparking debate. This week, two new sketches featuring Finn Wolfhard were released, and one in particular—a parody imagining a continuation of a well-known series—has drawn criticism for its portrayal of a character’s coming-out scene from the show’s final season.
The video mixes clips from Stranger Things with promotional material for upcoming shows. It includes a moment featuring Jeremy Culhane impersonating Noah Schnapp’s character, Will Byers, and making a joke about his coming-out story. While this 5-second clip is meant as lighthearted humor alongside other jokes about the show’s controversial final season, some viewers feel that such a personal topic shouldn’t be the subject of jokes, even in shows geared towards adults.
One X user described the moment as a homophobic insult and questioned who approved it. Another commenter criticized the “grown men” for making fun of what they said was a difficult scene for Noah to film, and urged the SNL team to be more considerate.
However, some defended the new sketch, which was released alongside a parody combining Harry Potter with a heated rivalry. This version featured Jason Momoa as Hagrid telling the actor playing Harry Potter, “You’re a homo, Harry,” and is likely to spark similar criticism. One person commented, “Has anyone never watched SNL before?” Another countered the complaints, saying, “You either have to be able to joke about anything, or nothing at all. Let’s not end comedy just to please a few people.” These reactions show that opinions on edgy humor remain sharply divided, and that’s always been the case – it doesn’t seem like things will change anytime soon.
‘Saturday Night Live’ Is Used to Being “In Trouble”
NBC
It’s not surprising when something on Saturday Night Live sparks controversy. The show built its reputation on pushing boundaries with its humor back in the 1970s and 80s, and it’s always been known for taking risks with its jokes.
The show often includes political sketches, many recently focused on Donald Trump, which has upset some of his fans. It also frequently parodies celebrities, cultures, and TV shows, and this has occasionally led to public apologies from the series.
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Last April, a sketch on Saturday Night Live featuring Sarah Sherman imitating Amy Lou Wood’s character from The White Lotus – complete with exaggerated fake teeth – upset Wood. She publicly criticized the sketch on Instagram, calling it “cheap” and saying the show needed to be more thoughtful if it wanted to parody her work. Wood later shared that the SNL team had apologized to her.
Recently, some older sketches from Saturday Night Live have faced criticism for jokes about race, sexual harassment, and gender. However, given the show’s history of challenging norms, it’s unlikely the show’s creative direction will change based on online reactions.
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2026-01-18 18:35