Bowen Yang Acknowledges Aimee Lou Wood’s Concerns Over SNL Sketch About Her Teeth as Totally Justified
Bowen Yang is speaking out after Aimee Lou Wood expressed her criticism of Saturday Night Live‘s parody involving her.
In an interview with Extra on Thursday, April 17, Yang, 34, acknowledged that Wood’s reaction to the The White Lotus parody sketch was “completely valid.”
“When it comes to parody, there’s often a tendency to overlook the human and emotional toll it can take on individuals,” Yang explained. “Everyone at SNL admires the show and is clearly a fan of hers. We believe she should be proud of the work she contributed to.”
The sketch in question, titled “White Potus,” aired during the April 12 episode and featured SNL cast member Sarah Sherman portraying Wood’s character, Chelsea, from The White Lotus.
Sherman donned false teeth and exaggerated a British accent as host Jon Hamm, playing Robert F. Kennedy Jr., joked about eliminating fluoride from the water.
Yang further stated in his Extra interview that this situation serves as a reminder that “parody can sometimes overstep its bounds.”
“As comedians, we should take responsibility instead of insisting we can say whatever we want,” he concluded. “It seems she has expressed her feelings to people at the show, and hopefully, there is still a way to move forward.”
Wood, 31, initially criticized the sketch on her Instagram Stories, stating on Sunday, April 13, “I found the SNL thing mean and unfunny. It’s disappointing because I enjoyed watching it a few weeks ago.”
“Of course, humor is part of the show—however, there must be a more intelligent, nuanced, and less superficial way to approach it?” she added.
Soon after, Wood posted another message on her Instagram Stories revealing that Sherman had sent her a bouquet amid the backlash against the skit.
“Thank you for the beautiful flowers,” Wood wrote over the photo, tagging the 32-year-old SNL comedian who had reached out to apologize.
The sketch also mocked other stars from The White Lotus season 3, featuring Scarlett Johansson as Ivanka Trump and Beck Bennett as Vladimir Putin.
Reports indicate that the late-night sketch comedy show has not offered an official apology to Wood, despite her earlier Instagram message stating she had received apologies from SNL.
The White Lotus season 3 is available for streaming on Max, while Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC and can be streamed on Peacock the following day.
