On May 14’s episode of SNL, the show took aim at the Depp/Heard trial in the cold open of their show. The sketch didn’t exactly take a real side in the matter, but still managed to get flak from various different quarters for how they approached the trial which has become a central facet of current cultural discussions.
The sketch itself parodies the courtroom accusation that Amber Heard defecated in the couple’s bed, with an accompanying video of cast members pretending that they were the house staff that found it. There was an attempt within the skit to make some commentary on the way that this trial has been used as entertainment, shown with the judge pulling out a drink during the video, but Twitter didn’t buy it.
Here is the sketch so you can judge for yourself:
This particular user expressed a thought echoed by various people – that SNL ended up recreating the very thing it was claiming to critique.
Honest Trailers and Screen Junkies creator Andy Signore thought the sketch was too much in Heard’s favour by refusing to directly represent Heard or other trial players.
Queens writer linked this sketch to broader conversations around violence faced by comedians.
This is not the first time that SNL has gotten into contested waters over their commentary on the hot political issues of the moment – something that this user brings up:
Ultimately, how you feel about the sketch is up to you, but it seems like Twitter has made its verdict – and they want they’d have preferred that this idea was flushed down the drain.