Saturday Night Live had to retroactively censor audience cursing on its most recent episode during a skit which discussed the White House Correspondents Dinner; the hosts’ shocked reactions were captured on camera as the segment went slightly awry.
Newsweek reached out to SNL outside of regular working hours via email for comment.
The Context
The skit came in response to news that the White House Correspondents Association decided to cancel comedian Amber Ruffin’s planned performance at the dinner on April 26, following criticism from President Donald Trump’s administration.
Ruffin, a comedy writer for Seth Myers and host of her own chat show on Peacock, has often mocked Trump and his actions. Addressing her skit being canceled on an appearance on NBC‘s Late Night With Seth Meyers, she said, “If they had let me give that speech, ooh baby… I would have been so terrifically mean.”
Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for BET
What To Know
In Nwodim’s Weekend Update, a member of the audience yelled out one of the Federal Communications Commission’s seven banned swears. The audio was quickly scrubbed on the social media pages for SNL.
The uncensored version captured an audience member yelling out a curse word in response to Nwodim’s alter ego, Ms. Eggy, when she asked the audience “These men ain’t what?”
The profanity was yelled before the censors could catch it. “We’re finna get fined for that,” Nwodim said in response.
And while the audio has been promptly scrubbed, viewers can see the real-time shocked reactions from Nwodim, and the co-anchors of the Weekend Update, Colin Jost and Michael Che.
Jost bursts out laughing, throwing up his hands in surprise before briefly putting his head in his hands, while Che is also seen cracking up and leaning back in his chair.
The clip has received over 60,000 views on YouTube as of press time.
What People Are Saying
One social media user wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “This SNL Weekend Update bit did NOT go as planned lol.”
A social media user wrote on YouTube: “Love Jost and Che reaction to the audience.”
Another social media user wrote on X: “You can go ahead and add tonight’s Ego Nwodim Weekend Update bit to my all-time favorite #SNL moments.”
Another social media user wrote on X: “Ego Nwodim is absolutely goated [Greatest of All Time] for that Weekend Update spot.”
What’s Next
It’s unclear whether or not SNL will face any fines from the FCC. Though the swearing made it onto the streamer, the moment seemed unrehearsed and did not look like anyone was expecting it.