A Saturday Night Live sketch centered on ISIS recruitment has created controversy.
In the fake ad, which aired Feb. 28, Dakota Johnson plays a young girl who is saying goodbye to her father (Taran Killam) in the car. Viewers are led to believe that the woman is leaving for college, but she is instead joining ISIS.
“It’s just ISIS, Dad,” she explains.
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“Take good care of her,” the father says to the ISIS member, who replies, “Death to America.”
The skit — which referenced the fact that increasing numbers of young women have been reportedly joining ISIS of late — created a furor on social media, with Twitter users blasting it for making light of the terrorist organization.
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“Like going to college? When so many people are being kidnapped and killed? Depraved,” wrote one person on Twitter. Another user faulted the sketch for making “a moral equivalence between ISIS murderers and the U.S. military (based on the spoofed commercial).” A third user claimed that the show appeared “desensitized” to the ISIS situation.
The sketch can be seen below, along with a number of tweets.
Can’t be serious. Isis skit? Like going to college? When so many people are being kidnapped and killed? Depraved. #SNL
— Raine LaChance (@rainelachance) March 1, 2015
SNL ISIS skit also draws a moral equivalence between ISIS murderers and the U.S. Military (based on the spoofed commercial), that is wrong.
— Steven Bucci (@SBucci) March 1, 2015
Absolutely floored that anyone would find the #SNL ISIS skit funny. Nothing funny about it, it was tasteless.Desensitized much? #OrangeRoom
— Rebecca (@becca76) March 1, 2015
Dear #SNL, jokes about Isis are not funny. See how much you laugh when you have to see your loved one(s) being slaughtered. No respect.
— Chasity (@RugratChas) March 1, 2015
#SNL makes #ISIS look funny. Easy to do living on Park Ave protected by NYPD & FBI. Christians being slaughtered in Middle East not laughing
— Green Mountain Skier (@VermontAttorney) March 1, 2015
#SNL skit with Dakota Johnson on “It’s just ISIS” — not effin’ funny! They’re chopping peoples’ head off and you’re making it a joke?
— Diane Williams (@dianewms) March 1, 2015
SNL & NBC should be apologizing today. They seem to think ISIS belongs in a comedy skit. They actually call that humor. #TheJokeIsNBC
— joemo23, RRT (@joemo23) March 1, 2015
No comedy to be found in SNL ISIS sketch. ISIS actions too horrific to parody #orangeroom
— JCA International (@jcaintl) March 1, 2015
@nbcsnl disgusting snl on doing Isis skit. All of you should be shipped off to Syria and then tell me how funny it is.
— Upatoi15 (@Upatoi15) March 1, 2015
Email: Ryan.Gajewski@pgmedia.org
Twitter: @_RyanGajewski
