I don't usually see
Saturday Night Live
, but I did catch some of it on November 2. There was a "Weekend Update" segment during which an ersatz
Reba McEntire
visited the anchor desk. The flame-haired singer, actress, and coach on
The Voice
was played by Heidi Gardner wearing a poufy, layered red wig. I didn't find it either especially funny or insulting to the star, but fans seemed to take sides.
Per
Taste Of Country
, "Some thought the portrayal was 'disturbingly accurate,' while others found it downright offensive."
Whiskey Riff
labeled it "bizarre." I interpreted the humorous bit as some silly, good-natured ribbing rather than being mean-spirited, but hey, that's just me.
Why NBC would intentionally demean someone who headlines not one but two of its shows (
The Voice
and the new sitcom
Happy's Place
) confounds me, if you happen to believe that
McEntire
was belittled by the skit in a nasty way.
Those who have seen
SNL
during its mammoth fifty-year run know without me telling you that its wit can be caustic. The actors and guests take aim at everyone and anyone with no-holds-barred. Politics is the show's bread-and-butter, or if you prefer, its juicy red meat.
The Gist Of The SNL Sketch Involving 'Reba McEntire'
'Reba' Did Not Give A Thumbs-Up To Either Trump Or Harris Days Before The Election
According to the outlet, "Reba" as played by Gardner does not give her celebrity backing to either candidate - the former Republican president or the current Democratic VP. Instead, she prattles on mindlessly about her hometown of McAlester, Oklahoma, and a few other topics. There was plenty of mockery and way-out-there caricaturing of Reba's accent and gestures.
An example via
Whiskey Riff
: "I come from a little town called McAlester, Oklahoma. We don't make up our minds quickly. In fact, we've got a saying: If you think the milk is spoiled, give it another sip."
No big guffaw there, folks.
I wonder what Reba herself thought of it. Chances are she is so busy doing two shows that she's probably was not up late watching
SNL
. She seems pretty chill anyway, so it most likely did not get her too miffed.