SNL Skit Hammers Pro-Life Activism, Viciously Stereotypes Politically Involved Conservative Men — and Audience Response Spoke Volumes
A “Saturday Night Live” segment got very political this week and drew surprisingly little laughter but a notable number of gasps from the audience.
The writers characterized the sole male in the skit — surrounded by five women who gradually tore him apart — as a “grass-roots activist.” But when the women dug a little deeper they discovered that “Bruce” was an activist for male rights (and specifically fought for higher pay for men than women, which drew big audience gasps).
Side by side with Bruce’s politics were the externals: He was also portrayed as a double-talker, decidedly milquetoast, not good looking nor sexually desirable (he was a virgin until recently), and vaulted into his activism after being dumped by a girl when he was 18 — which may or may not fit a kind of dream stereotype of conservative men in liberals’ minds.
The kicker was that Bruce led a shutdown of two Planned Parenthood clinics, which drew the most disdain from the gathered females (as well as a few more audience gasps and uncomfortable laughter).
The woman in the skit leading the charge against Bruce was actress Lena Dunham, SNL’s guest host and controversial star of HBO’s “Girls” who’s known for frequent on-camera disrobing. When she learned of Bruce’s activism, she offered a kind of “how dare you?” retort by saying Planned Parenthood provides women “low-cost medical advice and care.” Period. No other obvious descriptors. (And no laughter from the audience.)
A defeated Bruce soon exited the room, volunteering to leave his car for his now ex-girlfriend while he walked home.
Image source: NBC via MRCtv
Side by side with Bruce’s politics were the externals: He was also portrayed as a double-talker, decidedly milquetoast, not good looking nor sexually desirable (he was a virgin until recently), and vaulted into his activism after being dumped by a girl when he was 18 — which may or may not fit a kind of dream stereotype of conservative men in liberals’ minds.
The kicker was that Bruce led a shutdown of two Planned Parenthood clinics, which drew the most disdain from the gathered females (as well as a few more audience gasps and uncomfortable laughter).
The woman in the skit leading the charge against Bruce was actress Lena Dunham, SNL’s guest host and controversial star of HBO’s “Girls” who’s known for frequent on-camera disrobing. When she learned of Bruce’s activism, she offered a kind of “how dare you?” retort by saying Planned Parenthood provides women “low-cost medical advice and care.” Period. No other obvious descriptors. (And no laughter from the audience.)
A defeated Bruce soon exited the room, volunteering to leave his car for his now ex-girlfriend while he walked home.
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