Conan O’Brien praised late-comedian <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/norm-macdonald-says-he-didnt-want-to-leave-anything-on-the-table-as-he-jokes-about-mortality-and-death-in-final-stand-up-special" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Norm Macdonald</a>’s past jokes about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/o-j-simpson-dead-at-76-following-battle-with-cancer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">O.J. Simpson</a>’s murder trial that resulted in Macdonald losing his job at “Saturday Night Live.”
During the late-night talk show host’s appearance on Thursday with CNN’s Jake Tapper, the two talked about the news of the day &#8212; Simpson’s death at 76 following a battle with prostate cancer, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/conan-obrien-recalls-nbc-network-chief-tight-oj-fired-snls-norm-macdonald">Fox News</a> reported.
“It was a huge deal back then,&#8221; O&#8217;Brien said as he noted the murder trial coverage from comedians. &#8220;Most notably – he’s passed on – Norm Macdonald, one of my best guests of all time and one of the great comedians of all time…”
“[He] just told some of the most – did the most brilliant, I think, comedy of anybody during that whole period,” he added, noting the jokes the late-star did following Simpson’s acquittal in the 1995 double murder trial of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Conan O&#8217;Brien Says Norm Macdonald Did the &#8216;Most Brilliant Comedy&#8217; About O.J. Simpson on &#8216;SNL&#8217; When &#8216;the Head of the Network Was Tight With O.J.&#8217; <a href="https://t.co/NvFshFEbpq">https://t.co/NvFshFEbpq</a>
— Variety (@Variety) <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1778805935089091040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
Tapper replied, “Lost his job at ‘SNL’ because he was making fun of O.J. Simpson for being the real killer.&#8221;
&#8220;Yes,&#8221; O’Brien replied, and said that “the head of the network at the time was tight with O.J.,” without naming the executive.
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&#8220;Don Ohlmeyer?&#8221; Tapper asked, to which the comedian laughed, &#8220;Who can remember these names.&#8221;
&#8220;Anyway, water under the bridge,” O’Brien added. “But that was a huge moment in history, I think, of this country.&#8221;
&#8220;It was a, you know, massive – there have been many times in this country where we’ve needed to stop and reassess where we are in our racial history, and where are we, what progress have we made, and that was one of those moments and it was such a watershed moment,&#8221; O’Brien continued.
Tapper then asked O’Brien if he was going to make a joke about Simpson, and he replied, &#8220;I never make a joke about someone the day they pass.”
The late-night talk show host wasn’t the only one remembering Norm’s jokes on Thursday, with clips of Macdonald going viral on social media about his cracks at &#8220;The Juice&#8221; and saying that murder was &#8220;legal in the state of California&#8221; after Simpson&#8217;s acquittal, Fox News noted.
Despite the pro athlete being acquitted during the criminal trial, he was found liable for Brown Simpson and Goldman&#8217;s deaths three years later in a civil trial brought by the victims’ families and was ordered to pay more than $33 million in damages.
Simpson was later arrested in Las Vegas and charged with armed robbery and kidnapping in 2007. He was sentenced to 33 years in prison with a minimum of nine years without parole and was released in 2017 after serving that minimum. The former NFL star was released from parole in 2021.
Amanda Harding contributed to this piece.

Sean Penn, Bryan Lourd And Vivi Nevo Host 10th Anniversary Gala Benefiting CORE – Arrivals

Conan O’Brien Praises Late-Comedian Norm Macdonald’s O.J. Simpson Jokes That Got Him Fired From ‘SNL’

Celebrities

Conan O'Brien

Entertainment

Norm MacDonald

O.J. Simpson

Saturday Night Live

U.S.

Comedian <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/comedian">Dana Carvey</a> addressed a racy skit he did on “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/saturday-night-live">Saturday Night Live</a>” with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/sharon-stone">Sharon Stone</a> back in 1992, saying that type of content would never be allowed today.
The “SNL” alum discussed the “Airport Security Sketch” during a recent episode of the “Fly on the Wall With Dana Carvey and David Spade” podcast featuring Stone as a guest, per <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/03/dana-carvey-apologizes-saturday-night-live-sketch-undressed-sharon-stone-1235865481/">Deadline</a>. Spade called it “so offensive.”
Carvey told Stone she was “such a good sport” about the skit. The 68-year-old comedian also mused about how the content would not be well-received in today’s politically correct climate. “We would be literally arrested now,” he said.
In the skit, Carvey played an Indian airport security guard who encourages Stone to take off various items of clothing as she passes through the metal detector. When she stops setting off the alarm for real, he, Kevin Nealon, and Rob Schneider make the beeping noises themselves to encourage her to keep undressing.
When Chris Farley sets off the alarm, they let him go through the metal detector without checking him at all.
The sketch ends with Carvey taking photos of Stone for what he calls &#8220;security reasons.&#8221; Then the men all run off after hearing an announcement that Cindy Crawford is boarding at another gate.
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“I want to apologize publicly for the security check sketch where I played an Indian man and we’re convincing Sharon, her character, or whatever, to take her clothes off to go through the security thing,” Carvey said on the podcast. “It’s so 1992, you know, it’s from another era.”
The actress said the sketch didn&#8217;t bother her.
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“I know the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony,” Stone replied. “And I think that we were all committing misdemeanors [back then] because we didn’t think there was something wrong then. We didn’t have this sense. I had much bigger problems than that, you know what I mean? That was funny to me, I didn’t care. I was fine being the butt of the joke.”
“When I was doing the Indian character… there was no malice in it,” Carvey added. “It was really me rhythmically trying to get laughs. So I just want to say that watching it — comedy needs a straight person and you were perfect in it. You were completely sincere and you made us funny.”

Dana Carvey Says ‘We Would Be Literally Arrested’ If Racy ‘SNL’ Sketch With Sharon Stone Were Made Today

Dana Carvey Says 'We Would Be Literally Arrested' If Racy 'SNL' Sketch With Sharon Stone Were Made Today

comedian

Comedy

Sharon Stone

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-murray-definitely-jazzed-ghostbusters-3-paul-bois" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Murray</a> revealed the names of superstar comedians he would like to see play him in the upcoming &#8220;Saturday Night Live 1975&#8221; movie.
During the movie premier of Murray&#8217;s latest film &#8220;Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,&#8221; the 73-year-old actor said he&#8217;d been talking with director Jason Reitman about his film depicting the inaugural year of &#8220;SNL&#8221; in 1975 with a focus on the original comedians on the show, <a href="https://www.etonline.com/media/videos/bill-murray-names-a-very-unexpected-choice-to-play-him-in-snl-movie-exclusive-221707">Entertainment Tonight</a> reported.
&#8220;He&#8217;s [Reitman] been picking my brain about the &#8216;SNL&#8217; days since he was a grasshopper, so he knows a lot of what I know,&#8221; Murray told the outlet. &#8220;He&#8217;s an astute student and director.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Bill Murray on who could play a young version of him:
“Kenan Thompson, he could play me or Bill Hader, those two.”
(Source: <a href="https://t.co/3w2CKEms43">https://t.co/3w2CKEms43</a>) <a href="https://t.co/ASwcygO1eE">pic.twitter.com/ASwcygO1eE</a>
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1768636473836777499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
&#8220;I&#8217;m blessed that this movie will really be about the original seven [SNL cast members],&#8221; he added, noting that he didn&#8217;t join until 1977. &#8220;I get to be on the sidelines. I think my name gets mentioned, which is good.&#8221;
The &#8220;Ghostbuster&#8221; star admitted because he will be part of the movie he has some thoughts on exactly which &#8220;SNL&#8221; alum or cast member should play him.
&#8220;I like Kenan Thompson; he could play me,&#8221; Murray said of the black comedian.  &#8220;Or Bill Hader. Those two… or Kristen Wiig… any of those three could play me. Or Amy Poehler.&#8221;
Murray&#8217;s latest project is the next film in the &#8220;Ghostbusters&#8221; franchise and will be a reunion for members of the original 1984 &#8220;Ghostbusters&#8221; in which he starred alongside, Dan Aykroyd, Rick Moranis and the late Harold Ramis.
The original ghostbusting-film was directed by Jason&#8217;s father the late-Ivan Reitman, who also directed &#8220;Ghostbusters 2.&#8221; In 2021, Jason resurrected the original franchise and found box office success with &#8220;Ghostbusters: Afterlife.&#8221; Both Murray and Aykroyd appeared in the film along with original stars Annie Potts, Rick Moranis, Sigourney Weaver, and Ernie Hudson. Ramis appeared with the help of CGI in the movie, as he died in 2014.
&#8220;Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire&#8221; ill pick up the story where &#8220;Ghostbusters: Afterlife&#8221; left off.
A <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21235248/">description</a> of the movie read, &#8220;When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age.&#8221;
It is set to hit theaters March 22.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ghostbusters-director-ivan-reitman-dead-at-75" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8216;Ghostbusters&#8217; Director Ivan Reitman Dead At 75</a>

94th Annual Academy Awards – Red Carpet

Bill Murray Names Which Comedian He’d Want To Play Him In Upcoming ‘SNL’ Movie

Bill Murray Names Which Comedian He'd Want To Play Him In Upcoming 'SNL' Movie

Bill Murray

Jenna Bush Hager said her father, former President George W. Bush, didn&#8217;t have a problem with the ribbing he got from shows like &#8220;Saturday Night Live&#8221; and, in fact, &#8220;loved it.&#8221;
During Wednesday&#8217;s episode of &#8220;<a href="https://x.com/HodaAndJenna/status/1767940210459804128?s=20">Today with Hoda and Jenna</a>,&#8221; Hager told her co-host, Hoda Kotb, that her love language is &#8220;gently roasting,&#8221; something from which her father was not exempt. She reflected on laughing at the old SNL skits with her father and twin sister, Barbara.
&#8220;I like to harass my dad,&#8221; Hager said. &#8220;Like when he was the president, Barbara and I would show him … like the &#8216;Saturday Night Lives&#8217; where they made fun of him and stuff. He loved it!&#8221;
&#8220;Like when Will Ferrell [impersonated him], but there were other comedians who also did things,&#8221; she added. &#8220;Once, we were at the gym and there was a bumper sticker that said, &#8216;A Village in Texas Is Missing Its Idiot.'&#8221;
&#8220;Barbara and I read it, took a minute and then we were like&#8230; We told our dad. He didn&#8217;t care,&#8221; Hager continued. &#8220;He thought it was hilarious.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Jenna says when her father was president, she and her twin Barbara would show him clips of “Saturday Night Live” where they made fun of him — but he would laugh it off! <a href="https://t.co/enSVvUnIJX">pic.twitter.com/enSVvUnIJX</a>
— TODAY with Hoda &amp; Jenna (@HodaAndJenna) <a href="https://twitter.com/HodaAndJenna/status/1767940210459804128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
Her co-host Kotb said, &#8220;If you can&#8217;t laugh at yourself, then you feel like there&#8217;s some truth to it.&#8221;
&#8220;But also, if you&#8217;re going to be the President of the United States, people are going to make fun of you,&#8221; Jenna added. &#8220;And guess what — it ain&#8217;t just about you. That&#8217;s how it is, man. That&#8217;s how it is, that&#8217;s how it&#8217;s always been!&#8221;
The &#8220;Today&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jenna-bush-hager-says-her-wedding-mightve-been-very-different-if-shed-taken-then-president-bushs-advice-and-eloped">show</a> co-host has spoken about her relationship with her father in the past. She once discussed how he had encouraged her and then-fiance Henry Chase Hager to elope in 2008.
&#8220;My dad wanted us to elope because it was a pain,&#8221; Hager told Kotb. &#8220;He was like, &#8216;What are y&#8217;all doing? Y&#8217;all should just elope.&#8221;
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In the end, Dad&#8217;s suggestion was a no-go, and Jenna and Henry got married in a private ceremony at the Bush family&#8217;s Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas.
Hager made it clear it couldn&#8217;t have gone better.
&#8220;The wedding was spectacular,&#8221; President Bush said at the time. &#8220;It&#8217;s all we could have hoped for. It was just a special day and a wonderful day, and we&#8217;re mighty blessed.&#8221;
Jenna and Henry share three children together.

Jenna Bush Hager-2

‘Loved It’: Jenna Bush Says Her Father Didn’t Mind When ‘SNL’ ‘Made Fun Of Him’

George W. Bush

Jenna Bush Hager

Republican presidential candidate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nikki-haley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nikki Haley</a> appeared on the latest episode of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/saturday-night-live" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;Saturday Night Live,&#8221;</a> taking the opportunity to take shots at her rival, former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump,</a> and grapple with a controversy from her campaign regarding the causes of the Civil War.
During the opening act of NBC&#8217;s comedy show, also known as &#8220;SNL,&#8221; Haley was introduced as a &#8220;concerned South Carolina voter&#8221; in a town hall sketch featuring cast member Kenan Thompson portraying CNN&#8217;s Charles Barkley and Punkie Johnson playing CNN&#8217;s Gayle King. Barkley and King co-host a talk show on CNN called &#8220;King Charles.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“I see dead people.” That’s exactly what voters will think if this race is between Trump and Biden in the fall.
Had a blast tonight on SNL! Know it was past Donald’s bedtime so looking forward to the stream of unhinged tweets in the a.m. <a href="https://t.co/W43LlPOoi2">pic.twitter.com/W43LlPOoi2</a>
&mdash; Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) <a href="https://twitter.com/NikkiHaley/status/1754020491591872668?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Haley asked former President Donald Trump, depicted by cast member James Austin Johnson, why he would not debate Haley — a nod to Trump&#8217;s real-life refusal to participate in any of the GOP primary presidential debates this election cycle.
The exchange that followed showed Johnson&#8217;s Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/haley-questions-trumps-mental-fitness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mixing up Haley</a> with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), leading Haley to suggest a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/haley-questions-trumps-mental-fitness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mental competency test</a> — another echo of real-life events — and Haley joking about Trump&#8217;s legal issues and voters being concerned about the ages of Trump and President Joe Biden.
After Johnson&#8217;s Trump said he would beat Haley in the primary in South Carolina, Haley&#8217;s home state where she once served as governor, Haley asked him if he won his home state — New York — in the last election.
&#8220;I won Staten Island and the part of Long Island where the fist fights happen; where they get out the cars if you honk at them. I love my world star whites,&#8221; Johnson&#8217;s Trump said.
The end of the sketch featured the show&#8217;s host for the night, &#8220;Bear&#8221; star and Emmy winner Ayo Edebiri, posing a question to Haley that gave the candidate another opportunity to say whether slavery was a cause of the Civil War.
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Haley drew backlash in recent weeks when she cited the causes of the Civil War <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nikki-haley-blasted-for-leaving-out-slavery-in-her-answer-on-cause-of-the-civil-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">without mentioning slavery</a>. She later <a href="https://apnews.com/article/haley-election-civil-war-slavery-a509ff9d7cc5e271c42592276b75735c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said &#8220;of course&#8221;</a> slavery was central to the conflict and conceded that she <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/charlamagne-presses-nikki-haley-slavery-gaffe-did-you-feel-stupid-after" target="_blank" rel="noopener">should not have left it out</a> of her answer in the first place.
“I was just curious: What would you say was the main cause of the Civil War? And do you think it starts with an &#8216;s&#8217; and ends with a &#8216;lavery?&#8217;” Edebiri asked.
“Yep, I probably should have said that the first time,” Haley said in a response. The candidate then ended the sketch with the traditional, &#8220;And live from New York, it’s Saturday night!&#8221;

Nikki Haley

Nikki Haley Takes On Trump And Civil War Controversy In ‘Saturday Night Live’ Appearance

Nikki Haley Takes On Trump And Civil War Controversy In 'Saturday Night Live' Appearance

2024 Election

Donald Trump

Politics

Saturday Night Live made headlines this weekend for all the wrong reasons. During Weekend Update, a cast member suggested that Donald Trump stumbled and introduced a “new term” to the debate called “de-banking.” What followed was a rather feeble attempt at mocking the former president.
In reality, de-banking is no laughing matter. It means losing essential financial services, like a bank account, payment processing, or even insurance, because of your views. And it is on the rise — so much so that the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments involving the issue this term.
Funny enough, the case originates in the Empire State (“Live from New York,” anybody?), where the National Rifle Association is challenging New York’s attempt to coerce banks and insurance companies to withdraw services from the group. The NRA alleges that the Department of Financial Services — at the behest of then-Governor Andrew Cuomo — used its vast power to regulate “reputational risk” along with back-channel meetings, public investigations, and threats of fines to punish the group for its Second Amendment advocacy. 
This is not an isolated incident. A string of religious ministries and conservative groups have also been <a href="https://www.viewpointdiversityscore.org/resources/instances-of-viewpoint-based-de-banking" target="_blank" rel="noopener">victimized</a> by de-banking. As Alliance Defending Freedom points out in a friend-of-the-court brief filed in support of the NRA’s position, pro-life group Heartbeat International was recently canceled by its insurance provider over its “anti-abortion” advocacy.
Likewise, Bank of America de-banked Indigenous Advance Ministries, an ADF client that serves impoverished Ugandan widows and orphans. The bank closed Indigenous Advance’s long-standing account as well as the account of a local church that donates to the ministry. The bank claimed it no longer wanted to serve their “business type” and that Indigenous Advance exceeded the “bank’s risk tolerance.”
It did this right before a planned mission trip to Uganda, sending Indigenous Advance scrambling to open new accounts and drastically reducing the funds for the trip. It couldn’t pay its Ugandan ministry partners — who live meal to meal — for several weeks. And it had to temporarily reduce aid to the impoverished people they serve.
Similar instances of de-banking abound. Former Brexit leader Nigel Farage’s high-profile case resulted in the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/natwest-board-backs-ceo-alison-rose-over-farage-account-row-2023-07-25/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ouster</a> of megabank NatWest’s CEO. Serial offender JPMorgan Chase’s <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/jpmorgan-targeted-by-republican-states-over-accusations-of-religious-bias-903c8b26?mod=Searchresults_pos1&amp;page=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hit list</a> includes the <a href="https://familycouncil.org/?p=25159" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arkansas Family Council</a>, <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/chase-bank-missouri-conservative-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Defense of Liberty</a>, and U.S Ambassador Sam Brownback&#8217;s <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/stop-troubling-trend-politically-motivated-debanking-opinion-1787639" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Committee for Religious Freedom</a>.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Weekend Update: Trump Ordered to Pay $83 Million, DeSantis Endorses Trump - SNL" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QLt6xK33mUc?start=133&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
There are many reasons for this phenomenon, but the root cause is vague terms of service. 
“Reputational” and “social” risk policies pervade financial institutions. Customers at all 28 commercial banks scored in Alliance Defending Freedom’s <a href="https://www.viewpointdiversityscore.org/business-index" target="_blank" rel="noopener">index</a> that measures corporate respect for free speech and religious freedom are currently vulnerable to de-banking.
Most alarmingly, 7 of the nation’s 10 largest commercial banks — including the top 3 — have “reputational risk” or “hate speech” policies. These policies’ overly broad and subjective language permit employees to discriminate based on a customer’s viewpoint and then hide their viewpoint-based actions behind opaque standards. They also allow abuse by government regulators.
A positive ruling in the NRA case — which, in a comedic twist that should provide fodder for SNL writers, is being argued by the ACLU — would affirm that the government cannot carry out its censorship schemes by co-opting third parties as censors. That would help. But that does not address the many de-banking decisions that can be laid at the feet of private actors.
The solution to this problem may lie with the states. This state legislative season presents an opportunity for states interested in protecting against politicized de-banking to act. Any such law should focus on the worst actors – the largest banks and payment processors. Thanks to wide-reaching government benefits, such as greater lending power, FDIC insurance rates, subsidies, bailouts, and an anticompetitive chartering system, these institutions dominate their markets over state-level competitors yet are responsible for the worst de-banking incidents.
At a minimum, the law should prohibit denial of services based on religious or political beliefs, give customers the right to ask for a detailed explanation when services are denied, empower the attorney general to enforce the statute, and provide aggrieved customers a private right of action.
No one should have to worry that they could lose their bank account, insurance coverage, or other essential financial services because of their religious or political views. Yet it’s clear that vague financial service policies abused by private and government actors pose a serious threat to everyone’s freedom of speech and religion.
So, an inadvertent thanks to our pals at SNL for bringing up de-banking. It’s about time we talked about it. And it’s about time for the law to require viewpoint neutrality from the biggest banks and payment processors.
* * *
Jeremy Tedesco is senior counsel and senior vice president of Corporate Engagement for <a href="http://www.adflegal.org/?utm_source=wallstreetjournal&amp;utm_medium=oped" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alliance Defending Freedom</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/ADFLegal">@ADFLegal</a>).
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Daily Wire.

SNL’s Colin Jost on Weekend Update

SNL’s Trump ‘De-Banking’ Gaff Accidentally Elevates Hot Button Issue

SNL’s Trump 'De-Banking' Gaff Accidentally Elevates Hot Button Issue 

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)

Bank of America

Banking

Banks

Christians

Conservatives

JP Morgan

Readers Pass

A cause of death for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/comedian">comedian</a> Dana Carvey’s 32-year-old son, Dex, has been revealed by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Dex’s death was confirmed to be a result of an accidental drug <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/overdose">overdose</a>. The medical examiner found that he had a combination of fentanyl, ketamine, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drugs">cocaine</a> in his system at the time of his death, per <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/01/24/entertainment/dana-carveys-son-dexs-official-cause-of-death-revealed/">The New York Post</a>.
The “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/saturday-night-live">Saturday Night Live</a>” star and his wife made the announcement on November 16, 2023, via <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzuXVNoPvlj/">Instagram</a> that their son had tragically died. “Last night we suffered a terrible tragedy,” Carvey shared in the social media post, noting that Dex had overdosed at the age of 32.
“Dex packed a lot into those 32 years. He was extremely talented at so many things&#8211;music, art, film making, comedy&#8211;and pursued all of them passionately,” the post continued. “It&#8217;s not an exaggeration to say that Dex loved life.”
“And when you were with him, you loved life too,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;He made everything fun. But most of all, he loved his family, his friends and his girlfriend, Kaylee. Dex was a beautiful person. His handmade birthday cards are a treasure. We will miss him forever.”
Carvey and his wife concluded with a message of solidarity for “anyone struggling with addiction or who loves someone struggling with addiction.”
“You are in our hearts and prayers,” the couple concluded.
Carvey and his wife, Paula Zwagerman, have been married since 1983. They also have another son, Thomas. 
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The “SNL” comedian recently returned to work on a podcast he co-hosts with David Spade, saying it was “healthy” to get back into his return.
“I thought about this over the holidays and decided to come back to the podcast because I think, you know, it’s a long day when you’re not working and you get in your head,” he told fans during his first episode back, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dana-carvey-returns-to-work-shares-update-following-sons-death-from-drug-overdose">reported</a>. “And I think it’s going to be a great break, and I think it’s really cool to laugh.”
“I’m kind of on the pain train,” Carvey added. “You don’t know how long you’re going to be on it or when it will stop or when it will get better. In the meantime, all this kind of stuff is very healthy.”

Dex Carvey

Dana Carvey’s Son Dex’s Cause Of Death Revealed

Dana Carvey's Son Dex's Cause Of Death Revealed

Death

Drugs

Fentanyl

overdose

“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/saturday-night-live">Saturday Night Live</a>” alum <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/comedian">Dana Carvey</a> has returned to his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/podcast">podcast</a> for the first time since his son Dex’s death from an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drugs">overdose</a> last year. 
The 68-year-old comedic actor gave an update on the latest episode of the “Fly on the Wall” podcast he hosts with fellow “SNL” actor David Spade, per <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/dana-carvey-returns-podcast-son-death-dex-saturday-night-live-1235876348/">Variety</a>.
“If you’re listening to our podcast, you probably know about my family’s loss,” Carvey said during the episode. “I just wanted to say that the amount of outpouring online and emailing and people I still haven’t been able to call back is incredible.”
“I thought about this over the holidays and decided to come back to the podcast because I think, you know, it’s a long day when you’re not working and you get in your head,” he added. “And I think it’s going to be a great break, and I think it’s really cool to laugh.”
Spade agreed that it was “nice to do the show again” after Carvey took time off to mourn.
Carvey explained how he and his family have been grieving since Dex’s death last fall. &#8220;It’s me and my wife and our son’s private journey,&#8221; he said, referring to his younger son, Thomas.
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&#8220;We’re all together, and we do a lot of fun things… We hike, we go to church. You just want to make sure you keep moving.&#8221;
Carvey said one reason he wanted to return to the podcast is because “riffing” with Spade is “healthy” for him as he processes the loss of his son.
“I’m kind of on the pain train,” he said. “You don’t know how long you’re going to be on it or when it will stop or when it will get better. In the meantime, all this kind of stuff is very healthy.”
Carvey’s oldest son overdosed and died at the age of 32 in November. He told fans about his son’s death on social media, calling it a “terrible tragedy.” 
“Dex packed a lot into those 32 years,” Carvey wrote at the time. “He was extremely talented at so many things — music, art, filmmaking, comedy — and pursued all of them passionately.”

Dana Carvey

Dana Carvey Returns To Work, Shares Update Following Son’s Death From Drug Overdose

Dana Carvey Returns To Work, Shares Update Following Son's Death From Drug Overdose

Rep. Elise Stefanik&#8217;s (R-NY) office released a statement this week ripping into the NBC sketch comedy show &#8220;Saturday Night Live&#8221; for its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-new-low-snl-wrecked-for-skit-mocking-elise-stefanik-in-college-anti-semitism-hearing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">widely-panned cold open</a> on the recent congressional hearing on anti-Semitism on college and university campuses across the country.
Notably, Saturday&#8217;s cold open bizarrely attacked <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-top-university-presidents-balk-when-asked-if-genocidal-chants-against-jews-violate-codes-of-conduct" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stefanik</a> for asking about students&#8217; calls for Jewish genocide while almost entirely backing off the university presidents, whose disastrous testimonies have already culminated in at least one resignation.
“Elise did not watch it,&#8221; Stefanik senior advisor Alex DeGrasse <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/12/11/entertainment/cecily-strong-was-uncomfortable-with-snl-anti-semitism-sketch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the New York Post. &#8220;However, her office was flooded with messages from thousands of Americans across the political spectrum — Democrats and Republicans — who were appalled and disgusted by the antisemitic trash spewed by unfunny, morally bankrupt ‘comedians.'&#8221;
“SNL made history with the worst cold open ever because everyone knows there is absolutely no humor in the vile answers from the university presidents regarding their failure to condemn calls for the genocide of the Jewish people,&#8221; DeGrasse added.
During the hearing, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/university-of-pennsylvania" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Pennsylvania</a> President Liz Magill refused to acknowledge that calling for the genocide of Jews violates UPenn’s code of conduct on bullying and harassment. She resigned from her position on Saturday, mere hours before the SNL sketch aired, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/penn-president-liz-magill-out-after-disturbing-remarks#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
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In the same hearing, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/their-statements-were-abhorrent-backlash-to-harvard-penn-mit-presidents-on-anti-semitism-continues-even-after-they-backtrack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harvard University President Claudine Gay</a> was similarly questioned about whether calling for the genocide of Jews violates Harvard’s codes of conduct. She <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/their-statements-were-abhorrent-backlash-to-harvard-penn-mit-presidents-on-anti-semitism-continues-even-after-they-backtrack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> by saying that it depends “on the context.” Gay added that calling for genocide is “at odds with the values of Harvard” and that when that kind of “speech crosses into conduct, that violates our policies.”
The sketch, however, portrays Stefanik as unhinged for pressing the collegiate leaders on the issue, while those in academia were handled by the SNL team with kid gloves and largely presented as reasonable.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="College Presidents Cold Open - SNL" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep-OnsDieFQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Conservatives online quickly reacted to the SNL sketch. Conservative Emily Zanotti, for example, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-new-low-snl-wrecked-for-skit-mocking-elise-stefanik-in-college-anti-semitism-hearing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X, “I mean, I get that SNL is typically a mess, but how do you watch that hearing and come out of it thinking Stefanik was the right target of satire?”
Radio host Rob Carson commented, “If there is no truth in satire, it’s not funny. This isn’t funny.”
“How to explain SNL siding with Ivy league (sic) neo-racists? Wondering what colleges their writers attended,” Fox News host Greg Gutfeld wrote.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-new-low-snl-wrecked-for-skit-mocking-elise-stefanik-in-college-anti-semitism-hearing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘A New Low’: SNL Wrecked For Skit Mocking Elise Stefanik In College Anti-Semitism Hearing</a>

Elise Stefanik

Stefanik’s Office Blisters SNL For Panned Sketch Mocking Rep. In Anti-Semitism Hearing

Stefanik’s Office Blisters SNL Over Panned Sketch Mocking Rep. Over Anti-Semitism Hearing 

Congress

Harvard University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

University of Pennsylvania

Former Saturday Night Live (SNL) star Cecily Strong <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12850181/SNL-anti-Semitism-hearings.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> pulled out last minute from performing in Saturday&#8217;s widely-panned cold open, which targeted GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY) for her questions during a recent Congressional hearing on anti-Semitism in colleges and universities instead of the college leaders who were widely criticized for their testimonies.
Strong rehearsed the sketch earlier in the week as Stefanik, according to a <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/cecily-strong-snl-elise-stefanik-cold-open-saturday-night-live/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from The Wrap, but was ultimately swapped for a relatively new cast member named Chloe Troast.
It remains unclear why Strong did not play Stefanik in the final sketch; she has not commented publicly on the matter. There has been speculation that the former SNL star will be back next week when fellow alum Kate McKinnon is set to make her return to host the sketch show.
Despite the Congressional hearing already culminating in at least one university president resigning from her position, SNL decided to largely take aim at Stefanik, who appeared visibly stunned that the collegiate leaders seemed to run cover for students she said had been &#8220;calling for the genocide of Jews.&#8221;
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<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/university-of-pennsylvania" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Pennsylvania</a> President Liz Magill, for example, refused to acknowledge that calling for the genocide of Jews violates UPenn’s code of conduct on bullying and harassment. Magill resigned on Saturday following wide backlash, as reported by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/penn-president-liz-magill-out-after-disturbing-remarks#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/their-statements-were-abhorrent-backlash-to-harvard-penn-mit-presidents-on-anti-semitism-continues-even-after-they-backtrack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harvard University President Claudine Gay</a> was similarly questioned about whether calling for the genocide of Jews violates Harvard’s codes of conduct. She <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/their-statements-were-abhorrent-backlash-to-harvard-penn-mit-presidents-on-anti-semitism-continues-even-after-they-backtrack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> by saying that it depends “on the context.” Gay added that calling for genocide is “at odds with the values of Harvard” and that when that kind of “speech crosses into conduct, that violates our policies.”
There have since been calls for Gay to resign from her position. And compounding her problems, the university president is now under fire for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/embattled-harvard-president-claudine-gay-now-under-fire-for-alleged-plagiarism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allegations of plagiarism</a> on her Harvard dissertation.
Conservatives online quickly reacted to the SNL sketch. Conservative Emily Zanotti, for example, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-new-low-snl-wrecked-for-skit-mocking-elise-stefanik-in-college-anti-semitism-hearing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X, “I mean, I get that SNL is typically a mess, but how do you watch that hearing and come out of it thinking Stefanik was the right target of satire?”
Radio host Rob Carson commented, “If there is no truth in satire, it’s not funny. This isn’t funny.”
&#8220;How to explain SNL siding with Ivy league (sic) neo-racists? Wondering what colleges their writers attended,&#8221; Fox News host Greg Gutfeld wrote.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="College Presidents Cold Open - SNL" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep-OnsDieFQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-new-low-snl-wrecked-for-skit-mocking-elise-stefanik-in-college-anti-semitism-hearing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘A New Low’: SNL Wrecked For Skit Mocking Elise Stefanik In College Anti-Semitism Hearing</a>

Cecily Strong speaks onstage at the Human Rights Campaign 2023 Greater New York Dinner at Marriott Marquis Times Square on February 04, 2023 in New York City.

Ex-SNL Star Pulled Out Of Widely-Panned Skit On Anti-Semitism Hearing: Report

Ex-SNL Star Cecily Strong Pulled Out Of Widely-Panned Skit On Anti-Semitism Hearing: Report 

Anti-Semitism

College

Jews

Sketch comedy show &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/saturday-night-live" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Saturday Night Live</a>&#8221; was roundly mocked online this weekend for its cold open on Saturday which bizarrely targeted GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY) for her questions during a recent Congressional hearing on anti-Semitism in colleges and universities, instead of the college leaders who were widely panned for their testimonies.
During the hearing, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/university-of-pennsylvania" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Pennsylvania</a> President Liz Magill refused to acknowledge that calling for the genocide of Jews violates UPenn&#8217;s code of conduct on bullying and harassment. The testimony was so jarring, it culminated in Magill&#8217;s resignation on Saturday following wide backlash, as reported by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/penn-president-liz-magill-out-after-disturbing-remarks#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>.
The cold open, however, largely took aim at Rep. Stefanik, who was visibly stunned that the collegiate leaders seemed to run cover for students calling for genocide of Jews (video below). And folks online noticed.
&#8220;A new low for SNL,&#8221; Winston Marshall remarked. Conservative Emily Zanotti commented in response, &#8220;I mean, I get that SNL is typically a mess, but how do you watch that hearing and come out of it thinking Stefanik was the right target of satire?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I mean, I get that SNL is typically a mess, but how do you watch that hearing and come out of it thinking Stefanik was the right target of satire? <a href="https://t.co/g4jBOf1Nf4">https://t.co/g4jBOf1Nf4</a>
&mdash; Emily Zanotti 🦝 (@emzanotti) <a href="https://twitter.com/emzanotti/status/1733923276647268542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;If there is no truth in satire, it&#8217;s not funny,&#8221; Rob Carson said. &#8220;This isn&#8217;t funny.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
If there is no truth in satire, it&#39;s not funny. This isn&#39;t funny.
&mdash; Rob Carson Show (@RobCarson) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobCarson/status/1733877294920298798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;After three university presidents were universally panned for their testimony about anti-Semitism on campus, SNL decided that [Elise Stefanik] was the one who embarrassed herself,&#8221; Greg Price posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
After three university presidents were universally panned for their testimony about anti-Semitism on campus, SNL decided that <a href="https://twitter.com/EliseStefanik?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EliseStefanik</a> was the one who embarrassed herself. <a href="https://t.co/wSympwPfEj">https://t.co/wSympwPfEj</a>
&mdash; Greg Price (@greg_price11) <a href="https://twitter.com/greg_price11/status/1733878994313896114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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X account Libs of TikTok commented, &#8220;[Elise Stefanik] handled the pro [genocide] University Presidents beautifully. So of course SNL mocks her. This is so difficult to watch. Isn’t SNL supposed to be funny?&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/EliseStefanik?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EliseStefanik</a> handled the pro g*noc*de University Presidents beautifully. So of course SNL mocks her. This is so difficult to watch. Isn’t SNL supposed to be funny? <a href="https://t.co/dBEgTJ66tU">https://t.co/dBEgTJ66tU</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1733904253326967138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;This is the worst SNL opener in the history of the show,&#8221; X account Citizen Free Press said. &#8220;No one in the audience is laughing. This plays like a humiliation ritual.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is the worst SNL opener in the history of the show. No one in the audience is laughing. This plays like a humiliation ritual. <a href="https://t.co/ZDTi8csubC">https://t.co/ZDTi8csubC</a>
&mdash; Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) <a href="https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1733887774611120199?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Serious question: Is there anyone on either side that actually thinks this is funny?&#8221; noted another conservative politico. &#8220;I mean there was plenty of comedic material from that hearing, but SNL somehow managed to cover it in the cringiest way imaginable.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Serious question: Is there anyone on either side that actually thinks this is funny?
I mean there was plenty of comedic material from that hearing, but SNL somehow managed to cover it in the cringiest way imaginable. 
 <a href="https://t.co/jP1S84iGCk">https://t.co/jP1S84iGCk</a>
&mdash; AG (@AGHamilton29) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGHamilton29/status/1733898432132067486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Rabbi Shmuel Reichman called the skit the &#8220;most embarrassing&#8221; he&#8217;s ever seen.
&#8220;In a postmodern world, people think they get to choose their truth, and then rewrite everything in order to fit their narrative. So SNL had a moral choice: &#8230; admit the obvious: that the testimony of the presidents of Harvard, Penn, and MIT were universally considered to be one of the most disastrous congressional testimonies in U.S. history – testifying in front of Congress that they could not condemn calls for genocide against Jews unless they became &#8216;conduct,'&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;Or stand by the cringeworthy stance of the radical left, that antisemitism is &#8216;cool and hip,&#8217; and Elise Stefanik was the one who made a fool of herself. Guess which one SNL chose?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is the most embarrassing SNL skit I have EVER seen!
In a postmodern world, people think they get to choose their truth, and then rewrite everything in order to fit their narrative.
So SNL had a moral choice:
1- Admit the obvious: that the testimony of the presidents of… <a href="https://t.co/ygtAN1KgBD">pic.twitter.com/ygtAN1KgBD</a>
&mdash; Rabbi Shmuel Reichman (@ReichmanShmuel) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReichmanShmuel/status/1733963561058103799?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="College Presidents Cold Open - SNL" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep-OnsDieFQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

“Adam Driver, Olivia Rodrigo” Episode 1851 — Pictured: (l-r) Chloe Troast as Rep. Elise Stefanik and Molly Kearney as Rep. Virginia Foxx during the “College Presidents” Cold Open on Saturday, December 9, 2023

‘A New Low’: SNL Wrecked For Skit Mocking Elise Stefanik In College Anti-Semitism Hearing

SNL Wrecked For Skit Mocking Elise Stefanik In College Anti-Semitism Hearing

NBC sketch-show &#8220;Saturday Night Live&#8221; delivered a series of comedic slaps to an increasingly gaffe-prone President Joe Biden, focusing on his recent conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping in California.
The sketch began with President Biden standing at the lectern during at a post-meeting press conference, which he began by misreading the teleprompter and calling Xi &#8220;Roman Numeral 11.&#8221;
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5lXyM4xRGb4?si=00SilIXhuEXRzo6U" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Calling the meeting &#8220;a total win,&#8221; Biden went on to add, &#8220;We made agreements about communications, fentanyl, climate change, but most importantly, got the thing America really needs right now: more pandas!&#8221;
Things got dicey for &#8220;Biden&#8221; again when he opened up the floor and took questions from the press.
&#8220;Would you like to completely undo your accomplishments by calling him a dictator again?&#8221; one reporter asked.
&#8220;I would!&#8221; Biden replied.
In an effort to draw attention from that response, Biden brought out a panda and pointed again to the fact that China had agreed to loan the U.S. more pandas after the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/giant-pandas-national-zoo-biden-xi-apec-97e3f98236d74c5c433f63e8eed603cb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">loan expired</a> on the pandas at Washington, D.C.&#8217;s National Zoo.
Bowen Yang, as panda Tian Tian, said, &#8220;I’m honored to be here. But am I the only one who was surprised that the presidents of the two biggest economies in the world met and everyone’s just like, &#8216;What’s up with the pandas?'&#8221;
When the topic turned back to more serious questions — specifically the ongoing war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas — &#8220;Biden&#8221; tried to pivot back to the pandas again: &#8220;Y’know what, I think people are really liking the panda, right? Next question!&#8221;
Biden met with the Chinese leader — to whom he aptly referred as a &#8220;dictator&#8221; shortly afterward — late last week in San Francisco, and he <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-xi-apec-san-francisco-58d11e7e3902955302182c2bc41430e0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">touted the success</a> of that meeting, saying that among other things, the pair had set the stage for future conversations: &#8220;We should pick up the phone and call one another [if we have concerns] and we’ll take the call. That’s important progress.&#8221;

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