Bowen Yang recently addressed Aimee Lou Wood’s criticism of a “Saturday Night Live” sketch that parodied her character from the TV show “The White Lotus.” Wood found the sketch “mean and unfunny” and took issue with the portrayal of her character, Chelsea, particularly the joke about the gap between her teeth and the inaccurate accent used by Sarah Sherman, who played her in the sketch. Yang, a comedian and cast member on “SNL,” acknowledged that Wood’s reaction was “completely valid.” He said, “You kind of forget the sort of human, emotional cost that it sort of extols on someone. You need those reminders every now and then that parody can go too far sometimes, and that we as comedians can take account for that.”
Yang emphasized that everyone at “SNL” is a fan of Wood and her work on “The White Lotus.” He also noted that the situation serves as a reminder that parody can sometimes cross a line and that comedians should be mindful of the impact their humor can have on the subject.
Parody criticism from Bowen Yang
Wood expressed her dissatisfaction with the sketch on Instagram, stating that she loves being “taken the piss out of” when it’s clever and in good spirits, but felt that the joke about her teeth was a cheap shot. She also mentioned receiving apologies from “SNL,” though she did not provide specific details.
Following the criticism, Wood later received a “beautiful” bouquet of flowers, indicating that there had been some attempt to make amends. “SNL” has not aired a new episode since the controversial sketch but is set to return with a new host in the near future.
