‘SNL’: Viewers React to Woody Harrelson’s COVID Conspiracy Jokes

Woody Harrelson, an actor who has shared eyebrow-raising opinions about COVID-19 earlier than, started his fifth Saturday Evening Reside internet hosting gig with what sounded to many like an anti-vaccine conspiracy principle.

In his opening monologue on the NBC present’s February 25 episode, Harrelson instructed the viewers he learn “the craziest script” the day after his final SNL internet hosting gig.

“So the film goes like this,” the actor stated, after a prolonged narrative detour about his marijuana use. “The most important drug cartels on the earth get collectively and purchase up all of the media and all of the politicians and pressure all of the folks on the earth to remain locked of their properties. And folks can solely come out in the event that they take the cartel’s medication and hold taking them time and again.”

However the former Cheers star stated he threw the script away. “I imply, who was going to consider that loopy concept? Being compelled to do medication? I try this voluntarily all day lengthy.”

Many Twitter customers, nonetheless, didn’t suppose Harrelson’s story was a laughing matter. “So SNL is simply cool with Woody Harrelson doing an anti-vax opening monologue?” one wrote.

“The silence within the viewers speaks for itself,” one other individual tweeted.

A 3rd Twitter consumer wrote, “I simply learn Woody Harrelson’s monologue. I suppose I’m not a superb sport anymore as a result of I don’t discover anti-vax jokes humorous whereas we misplaced a superb chunk of America attributable to silly folks spreading it to others.”

Others, nonetheless, recommended Harrelson for is feedback. “At the least Woody Harrelson is daring sufficient to name out Massive Pharma,” one individual tweeted.

Harrelson’s COVID-19 feedback have come beneath scrutiny earlier than. In April 2020, the True Detective alum shared an Instagram submit with a screenshot of an article linking 5G expertise to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, telling followers that a number of his associates “have bene speaking concerning the destructive results of 5G.” He later deleted his 5G posts, in line with The New York Times.

And in a Vanity Fair interview printed in Might 2022, the actor complained about masks use on Hollywood units. “I believe it’s not very conducive to good work,” he stated. “As one who doesn’t consider within the germ principle, I discover it quite absurd.”

As for his SNL monologue, there seems to be some debate amongst viewers about whether or not Harrelson’s movie-script story was scripted or ad-libbed. “Why does everybody suppose Lorne Michaels and [NBC] didn’t know what Woody Harrelson would say in his SNL monologue?” one viewer tweeted after the present. “They rehearse it for time and he used cue playing cards. So his monologue was permitted prematurely. Nothing was sprung on the community!”

Thus far, Michaels has not publicly commented on Harrelson’s monologue.

Saturday Evening Reside, Saturdays, 11:30/10:30c, NBC