New York City, New York – Saturday Night Live tackled a hot topic from the past week by portraying concerned parents of New York City college students involved in protests on the latest episode. Hosted by Dua Lipa, the show featured Michael Longfellow as a talk show host discussing the students’ activities with parents played by Heidi Gardner, Mikey Day, and Kenan Thompson.
During the episode, Longfellow expressed concern about the current climate on university campuses and sought the opinions of his guests. While Gardner and Day’s characters voiced worries about their children’s participation in protests against Israel’s actions, Thompson’s character showed support for the students’ activism.
Thompson humorously portrayed a father who adamantly opposed the idea of his daughter, a Columbia student, joining the protests. His character emphasized the high cost of tuition at the prestigious university and joked about his various odd jobs to afford it.
In a satire of the real-life events at Columbia University, protesters entered Hamilton Hall and barricaded themselves inside, leading to police intervention. The NYPD reported a total of 282 arrests at pro-Palestinian protests at both Columbia and The City College of New York, with a significant number of those arrested not affiliated with the respective universities.
According to an NYPD official, a large percentage of the arrests made at both universities were not students. The protests highlighted the ongoing tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, sparking conversations about activism, tuition costs, and parental expectations. The satirical portrayal on Saturday Night Live added a comedic touch to a serious and complex issue, resonating with audiences and provoking reflections on the state of higher education and student activism in the current socio-political landscape.