Saturday Night Live faced backlash from some of its liberal viewers after cast member Colin Jost delivered a joke that critics described as Islamophobic.
The show’s Weekend Update segment focused heavily on politics, including the sweeping Democratic victories recorded in the midterm elections the previous week.
One of the most prominent wins was Abdul El-Sayed’s election to the U.S. Senate in Michigan. El-Sayed became the first Muslim to win a seat in the upper chamber of Congress.
“Abdul El-Sayed made history as the first Muslim…” Jost began during Weekend Update, prompting the audience to erupt in cheers and applause louder than at any other point in the segment.
“The first Muslim elected to the Senate,” Jost continued. “Well, first openly Muslim,” he added as an image of former President Barack Obama appeared beside him, referencing longstanding rumors that Obama secretly follows Islam.
Jost glanced sideways at the photograph with a mischievous smirk as the audience laughed, although the joke appeared to receive a weaker response than several of his other lines.
Jost then said that El-Sayed had suggested he wanted Chuck Schumer removed as Senate majority leader.
“But if I had just gone through the campaign he did, I don’t think my first move would be: ‘Get rid of the Jewish guy!’” he joked.
Saturday Night Live and cast member Colin Jost drew criticism from liberal viewers over a joke involving Abdul El-Sayed, the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate
Jost referred to El-Sayed as “the first Muslim elected to the Senate. Well, first openly Muslim,” as an image of former President Barack Obama appeared beside him
Obama and El-Sayed are shown together at an event held while the former president was campaigning for the senator-elect
El-Sayed has faced accusations of antisemitism over his strongly anti-Israel position, his association with controversial political commentator Hasan Piker and a remark that “hurt people hurt people” after a synagogue in the Detroit area was attacked.
Months later, the senator-elect apologized for the comment and has repeatedly condemned antisemitism. He has also maintained that his criticism is directed at the Israeli government, not Jewish people as a whole.
Users on X responded angrily to Jost’s jokes about El-Sayed, with some labeling the remarks Islamophobic and others accusing Jost and Saturday Night Live of being “Zionist.”
“Boooo @ColinJost bad islamaphobic joke. Racist a**,” one user wrote.
“Yikes, this is really bad, like already attacking Abdul even if it’s a ‘joke’ in this way is really vile,” another posted.
“Oh no SNL are Zionists, shock, awe,” a third user added.
“Colin not beating the zionist accusations… and still not funny after all these years,” a fourth commenter said.
Jost and Saturday Night Live also attracted criticism from conservatives, this time over a separate joke targeting billionaire Elon Musk.
Saturday Night Live also came under fire from conservative viewers over a joke about Elon Musk, portrayed by cast member Jeremy Culhane
The sketch featured Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, “roasting” the billionaire over several subjects, including his relationship with his children
Culhane played Musk as Jost questioned him about Grok, the artificial-intelligence chatbot developed by Musk’s company, xAI.
“What is a vulgar roast?” Jost asked Culhane, who responded with a stammering imitation of Musk’s voice.
“It’s my AI Groke’s most epic, hardcore feature,” Culhane said. “It’s so vulgar and hilariously funny.”
Culhane then took out a phone and stammered: “Grok, do like an, you know… Do like an, you know… Do like an epic vulgar roast of me, Elon Musk.”
A robotic voice then replied: “Elon Musk, you’re the worst thing South Africa has ever done. When you’re on TV, it feels like an episode of hate on the spectrum. Maybe if you have 100 more kids, one of them will talk to you.”
Katie Miller, the wife of Trump’s recently elevated chief of staff, Stephen Miller, criticized the sketch on X. Stephen Miller is set to take over the role from Susie Wiles following the Republicans’ crushing defeat in the midterms.
“SNL is literally the antithesis of comedy and satire. It takes weak men to take cheap shots — especially about @elonmusk’s kids,” Katie wrote.
“Elon is a devoted dad who prioritizes time with his kids and it’s obvious they absolutely adore him. This is just a political hit job masquerading under the banner of comedy. Make comedy actually funny again,” she added.
Katie Miller, the wife of Trump’s recently elevated chief of staff Stephen Miller, called the Musk sketch a “cheap shot” and a “political hit job” over his relationship with his children
Reactions to Katie’s post were mixed, although some users echoed her criticism in the replies.
“Fact. It’s just another democratic propaganda machine,” one person wrote.
“It’s difficult to find any humor in today’s comedy,” a second commenter said.
“And they aren’t even good at it. SNL hasn’t been funny since the 80s,” a third added.
