New SNL domestic abuse skit leaves viewers feeling uneasy
By Jeremy Dick
In a controversial new skit from the newest SNL, Kevin Hart and Leslie Jones act out domestic abuse at a Christmas party… and fans weren’t laughing.
Saturday Night Live is certainly a show that’s known for sometimes pushing the envelope, but on Saturday night, they may have went a bit too far.
The usually hysterical Kevin Hart appeared as the guest host on the latest episode of the show. For the most part, the new episode was highly entertaining, pulling in a lot of laughs. So it makes the presence of one particular “domestic abuse” sketch stand out that much more, and the fans aren’t holding back with letting NBC know how “unfunny” they found the skit to be.
In the sketch in question, Hart and Leslie Jones portray a married couple arriving late to a Christmas party with friends. Right away, Jones makes it clear she’s abusive to Hart, treating him terribly in front of the others. There really aren’t even any jokes — the skit banks on Hart being forced to give kisses to a stuffed bear. That might sound funny on paper to some, but all it could elicit from the crowd was some awkward laughter, and you could almost feel how uncomfortable everyone was through the screen.
You can watch the segment in question below.
Online, SNL fans are going off about the skit. If you take a look at the comments section on NBC’s official upload on YouTube, you’ll find it’s overflowing with fan complaints. Take a look at just a small sampling of the vitriol aimed at the skit (and keep in mind these are top-rated comments):
“This could kill Hart’s career.”
“this sketch isn’t even funny it’s just depressing.”
“This is like the worst SNL skit I have seen in the past 5 years its just dry”
“How do i get my 4:46 minutes back?”
“This is one of those ‘man, im about to laugh but it’s missing something’ kinda sketches.”
That’s really just the tip of the iceberg. And though it’s obviously much easier to see in hindsight, this was a sketch clearly best left on the cutting room floor. Certainly not a high point for the show, or for Kevin Hart.
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Watch new episodes of Saturday Night Live when they air Saturday nights at 11:30 PM EST on NBC.