On the latest episode of “Saturday Night Live,” the cast took on the recent protests at New York City colleges, with cast members playing concerned parents of students involved in the demonstrations. The cold open featured Michael Longfellow as a talk show host who welcomed parents played by Heidi Gardner, Mikey Day, and Kenan Thompson. While Gardner and Day’s characters expressed concerns about their children’s involvement in the protests against Israel’s war with Hamas, Thompson’s character expressed support for the students using their voices to fight for what they believe in. However, when asked about his daughter, a Columbia student, Thompson’s character was adamant that she better be in class and not out protesting.
The skit on “Saturday Night Live” continued with Thompson’s character making it clear that while he supports other students protesting, his own children should know better. He emphasized the high cost of tuition at Columbia University, where his daughter attends, noting that he works multiple jobs to pay for it. The skit humorously highlighted the generational divide and the contrast between parents’ expectations and students’ activism. The satire captured the absurdity of the situation, with Thompson’s character going to extreme lengths to pay his daughter’s tuition, including selling Gucci wallets out of his trunk and working multiple jobs.
Meanwhile, in reality, protests at Columbia University and The City College of New York resulted in a significant number of arrests. At Columbia, protesters barricaded themselves inside Hamilton Hall, prompting the university to request assistance from the NYPD. A total of 282 people were arrested at the pro-Palestinian protests at both universities, with a substantial percentage of those arrested not being affiliated with the schools. This information was reported by CNN’s Shimon Prokupecz, Mark Morales, and Celina Tebor. The skit on “Saturday Night Live” humorously addressed the tensions around student protests and the challenges faced by parents who may not fully understand or support their children’s activism.
Ultimately, the skit on “Saturday Night Live” and the real-life protests at Columbia and The City College of New York shed light on the ongoing issue of student activism and parental concerns. The humor in the skit allowed for a lighthearted take on a serious topic, highlighting the complexities of navigating generational differences and societal issues. The protests themselves brought attention to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as the broader discussion around free speech and activism on college campuses. By incorporating current events into their comedy, “Saturday Night Live” continues to engage with relevant and timely social issues, offering a comedic perspective on the news of the week.
In conclusion, “Saturday Night Live” used humor to address the recent student protests at New York City colleges, with a skit that poked fun at parental concerns and the generational divide. The skit featured Kenan Thompson as a father who humorously expressed his disapproval of his daughter’s involvement in the protests, highlighting the tension between parents’ expectations and students’ activism. The arrests at Columbia University and The City College of New York during the protests underscored the seriousness of the issues at hand, with a large number of individuals being taken into custody. The combination of satire and real-world events provided a nuanced look at the complexities of student activism and parental reactions, offering a blend of humor and reflection on current events.
