The latest episode of Saturday Night Live opened with “Oops, You Did It Again,” a fake talk show hosted by “Britney Spears,” with guests appearing to deliver weak apologies for their supposed transgressions.
The focus of the skit was Sen. Ted Cruz, played by Aidy Bryant, who is portrayed as the villain of the scene.
Can’t wait for SNL to do a skit on Cuomo killing old people… https://t.co/kmt122FAcU
— Ian G Haworth (@ighaworth) February 21, 2021
Many were quick to respond to my call on social media for SNL to “do a skit on Cuomo killing old people,” saying that Cuomo appeared immediately after Cruz in the clip. Rather than disproving my original point, they actually uncovered a fundamental problem with SNL and how they approach scandals based on political affiliation.
Yes I’m aware. The issue is that it was classic SNL punch-pulling. Cruz is the real villain, while Cuomo’s joke is that he’s grumpy and got caught hiding numbers. None of it addresses the true scandal, which is the deadly outcome of his policies. https://t.co/m5E0vXjVzm
— Ian G Haworth (@ighaworth) February 21, 2021
In this sketch, the actions of Cruz and Cuomo are viewed as equivalently unsavory. First, Cruz is presented as a heartless coward, saying “I’m sorry. I am pretty bad at human stuff.” Then, Cuomo is presented as a grumpy and aggressive character who struggles to apologize.
However, the issue is that SNL actively worked to obfuscate the actual scandal, by both pretending that Cruz and Cuomo’s actions are in any way comparable and by claiming that Cuomo’s misconduct was entirely related to “fudging” his state’s COVID-19 numbers.
“Some of the people who died in the nursing homes were not counted as nursing home deaths, they were counted as hospital deaths, which is basically what happens at Disneyworld,” Pete Davidson’s Cuomo said. “Okay? People die and they move the bodies. They say, ‘Oh, I guess Brenda died in the parking lot, not on the teacups.’ So, you know, we just did the Disney thing, all right? So, are we done here?”
The concluding “joke” is that Cruz remains the villain of the sketch, with Cuomo saying: “Do not associate yourself with me. We are not the same. I am a man, you are a clown, and if you mess with me I will send you to a clown hospital, and when you die, I will not count your body.”
While SNL audience members applauded and laughed, they missed another blatant act of “comedic” propaganda. The scandal surrounding Cuomo is not primarily — as SNL claims — that he didn’t count COVID-19 deaths accurately. Instead, it’s that his March 25 policy to force COVID-19 patients into nursing homes allegedly resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, which he then tried to cover up as the legacy media and Democratic Party celebrated him as a political messiah. The crime is the crime, not the cover up.
This is a familiar pattern. Even when SNL criticizes a Democrat, they pull their punches, and the final and defining blow is always made against a Republican. In this sketch, Cruz is the villain. Cuomo is the supporting act.
Cuomo’s crime? Enforcing deadly policies and trying to hide evidence of his failure. Cruz’s crime? Going on vacation.
If you believe that this amounts to equal and accurate criticism of Cuomo, then you also believe that a vacation is worse than the death of senior citizens.
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at @ighaworth.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.