SNL Tackles Harvey Weinstein Sexual Harassment and Assault Scandal

Many had criticized the sketch comedy series last week for not even making mention of the producer's scandal, which broke two days before the episode

By Corinne Heller Oct 15, 2017 6:32 PMTags

SNL finally tackled Harvey Weinstein's sexual misconduct scandal on Saturday, in more ways than one, and did not hold back.

Many had criticized the sketch comedy series last week for not even making mention of the producer's scandal, which broke two days before that episode.

Colin Jost and Michael Che launched a scathing verbal attack against Weinstein while co-anchoring the recent edition of SNL's Weekend Update and even got personal, while a skit also dealt with the controversy. Weinstein has not commented on the episode.

"Apple has announced that it will add hundreds of new emojis to its iOs system, including a person at a spa, a vomiting face and a shushing finger, finally giving emoji the ability to describe what it was like to work for Harvey Weinstein," Jost said.

He then referenced unconfirmed reports that say Weinstein plans to go to rehab.

"Somehow, I don't think that's gonna help anybody," Jost said. "He doesn't need sex rehab. He needs a specialized facility where there are no women, no contact with the outside world, metal bars and it's a prison."

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In interviews with The New York Times, The New Yorker and other media outlets, as well as via posts on social media, numerous women, including top actresses, have accused Weinstein of sexual harassment and six of them say he raped them. Weinstein has denied allegations of non-consensual sex and has apologized for his past behavior towards "colleagues."

He has not been charged with a crime, although New York and London police have launched investigations in wake of the allegations.

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"This is a tough spot for a comedian because it's so hard to make jokes about sexual assault," Che said. "But it's so easy to make jokes about a guy that looks like this. I mean, he looks like chewed bubblegum rolled in cat hair."

On Wednesday, Weinstein told paparazzi outside his daughter's Los Angeles-area home, "Guys, I'm not doing OK but I'm trying...I gotta get help, guys. You know what, we all make mistakes, second chance I hope."

"No man, a mistake is me walking into the wrong bathroom and using it anyway because I was crowning," Che said on Weekend Update. "But you, you assaulted dozens of women and that's not a mistake; that's a full season of Law & Order. Your name's a verb now, dude. As is, 'If this guy tries to Weinstein me I'm gonna cut off his little Harvey.'"

"Ugh," Che added. "Doesn't he look like a well-dressed skin tag?"

Also on SNLKate McKinnon reprised her role of fictional elderly actress Debette Goldry, Leslie Jones played Viola Davis and Cecily Strong portrayed Marion Cotillard in a skit in which they discuss Weinstein and sexual harassment in Hollywood.

"I actually did have one meeting with Harvey," McKinnon's character said. "I was invited to his hotel room and when I arrived, he was naked, hanging upside down from a monkey bar. He tried to trick me into thinking his genitals were actually his face."

"It almost worked--the resemblance is uncanny," she added.