Saturday Night Live, one of the longest-running and most iconic television shows in American history, recently took aim at Fox News for their coverage of the Dominion defamation suit. The sketch comedy show wasted no time poking fun at the conservative news outlet, which has been embroiled in controversy for its reporting on the 2020 US presidential election.
In a skit that aired on March 13th, SNL’s cast of comedians portrayed a group of Fox News hosts who were reporting on the Dominion lawsuit. The skit opens with a disclaimer, “Fox News is proud to announce we’ve reached an amicable settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.” The hosts then mockingly apologize for their coverage of the lawsuit and admit they should have done more fact-checking before airing their reports. One of the hosts even goes so far as to declare, “I regret referring to it as the ‘Dominion Sexual Fantasy Football League’.”
The sketch is a clear satire of Fox News and its handling of the Dominion lawsuit, which alleges that the news organization made false claims about Dominion Voting Systems in an effort to discredit the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election. The case has been a thorn in Fox News’ side for months, and has forced the company to issue multiple retractions and apologies for its coverage of the election.
The SNL skit is just the latest in a long line of satirical critiques of Fox News. Over the years, the show has lampooned the network for its conservative bias, sensationalist reporting, and willingness to push conspiracy theories. The show has also taken aim at individual hosts and contributors, such as Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity.
However, the SNL skit is notable for its timing, as it comes just days after Fox News announced its settlement with Dominion Voting Systems. The settlement reportedly amounts to $1.6 billion, which is a significant sum even for a media giant like Fox News. The settlement also puts an end to the defamation lawsuit, which could have resulted in an even larger payout if it had gone to trial.
The SNL skit is likely to be just the beginning of a renewed wave of criticism of Fox News. The network has been widely criticized for its coverage of the 2020 US presidential election, which many believe was biased in favor of then-president Donald Trump. Fox News has also been criticized for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, with some accusing the network of downplaying the severity of the virus in order to support Trump’s reelection campaign.
The controversy surrounding Fox News is not likely to die down anytime soon. The network remains one of the most-watched news outlets in the country, and has a dedicated following among conservatives. However, the fallout from the Dominion lawsuit may have lasting consequences for the network’s reputation, as well as for its bottom line. The settlement is likely to put pressure on other media outlets to be more careful with their reporting, and may even result in changes to the way news organizations approach the coverage of sensitive issues.
In the end, the SNL skit is a reminder that comedy can be a powerful tool for critiquing the media and holding it accountable. While Fox News may not appreciate being the subject of ridicule, the skit serves as a reminder that the network is not above reproach, and that its actions have consequences. As the saying goes, “The pen is mightier than the sword,” and in the case of SNL, the pen is the writer’s keyboard, and the sword is the comedian’s wit. In the end, we can only hope that this latest controversy will serve as a wake-up call for all media outlets, and a reminder that the truth matters, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.