SNL’s Sickening Clown Abortion Sketch And The Truth It Reveals

Monday morning think pieces about Saturday Night Live sketches have become as routine as the rising sun. But for once, the media’s designated winner of the week’s most important comedic commentary really does deserve consideration.

During the November 6 edition of “Weekend Update,” anchor Colin Jost interviewed long-time cast-member Cecily Strong, playing the part of “Goober,” a clown who wants to discuss abortion while sucking helium, squirting water from fake flowers, and making balloon animals.

Given that the purpose of the fake news segment is to crack wise about the biggest stories of the previous seven days, the context of the sketch is ostensibly the Supreme Court hearing oral arguments over the new Texas abortion ban. Except Goober the Clown never mentions Texas or the Court. Instead, in between spinning her polka dot bow tie and making frenzied pleas to “pull her finger,” she shares her own story of getting an abortion at age 23.

Strong’s performance in the sketch, which is intentionally frenzied and irritable, elicited more media praise than perhaps any SNL sketch in recent memory. A small sampling of the adulation:

Atlantic writer Deborah Copaken said whoever wrote the sketch should receive a “preemptive Emmy right now.”Vanity Fair’s Karen Valby described it as a “startlingly effective bit of political commentary” and pleaded with SNL to “protect this generous and brilliant woman at all costs.”At CNN, critic Brian Lowry called it “one of the most buzzworthy recent moments that I can remember,” and chief media correspondent Brian Stelter said he had to watch it twice to “fully appreciate it.”The Los Angeles Times called it “one of the most rousing and far-reaching rebukes of Texas’ controversial abortion law.”Vox poetically waxed that Strong displayed “humor that spotlights the vulnerability and humanity of the comedian and her audience.”Pop-culture outlet, Decider, dubbed the episode “an instant classic.”The Today Show cited it as an example of the “importance” of “comedic abortion stories.”The Daily Beast called it “bizarre and brilliant,” and lauded Strong for using the “absurdity of her concept” to “underscore some sobering facts.”Hollywood trade publication, The Wrap, offered a round-up of all the people calling Strong’s speech “powerful,” “joyful,” and “brave.”

Again, that’s just a fraction of the acclaim culled from a mere three days. Imagine the media legend that will grow around this skit once it’s been out a full week. Meanwhile, many on the right immediately dismissed it as “stupid,” “not funny,” and