A Controversial Skit Takes Aim at JK Rowling
Saturday Night Live (SNL) made a bold move during the Season 51 premiere, addressing the ongoing controversy surrounding author J.K. Rowling and her public feud with actress Emma Watson. The skit, which aired during the Weekend Update segment, took aim at Rowling’s controversial views on transgender rights, highlighting the tension that has been growing between the two women for years.
The feud between Rowling and Watson has been a long-standing one, with Rowling becoming a vocal critic of the trans community over the years. This conflict escalated recently when Watson spoke about it on a podcast, where she admitted that the strained relationship "hurt the most" and expressed a willingness to mend things, despite their differing viewpoints.
However, Rowling's response to Watson's openness was less than warm. She reportedly refused to engage in reconciliation, further intensifying the debate. In response, SNL decided to address the issue through a satirical skit that poked fun at Rowling’s stance and the broader implications of her comments.
A Mocking Representation of Dobby the House Elf
In the skit, actor Bowen Yang portrayed Dobby the House Elf, a beloved character from the Harry Potter series. Dobby joined Michael Che and Colin Jost for a conversation, claiming that his "master" had instructed him to appear on the show and "define once and for all what a woman is."
When Che asked if his master was J.K. Rowling, Yang played along, personifying Dobby. "Of course sir! Oh, oh no. Dobby wasn't supposed to say," he said before dramatically banging his head on the desk and yelling, "Bad Dobby." He then described how he had to "self-punish," staying true to the character’s personality.
Yang went on to reference several moments from the books, including the revelation that Dumbledore was gay after the books were published and the casting of Hermione as Black on Broadway. He also brought up the question of whether Cho Chang was Asian, subtly pointing out the lack of diversity in the original novels.
A Satirical Take on Trans Rights
The skit also included a humorous take on the concept of gendered spaces. Yang referenced the Moaning Myrtle character, saying, "women's bathrooms are for women only and girls an ghosts of girls." This line was clearly meant to highlight the contentious nature of Rowling’s views on transgender individuals.
At one point, Yang ran into the audience and hit his head on the camera lens. When Che asked why he kept hurting himself, Yang replied, "Why? Dobby doesn't know. Perhaps because house elves are somehow always the problem, even though we're only 1% of the population, but house elves aren't the victims. Master Rowling is. She gets so much hate mail."
A Statement from J.K. Rowling
The skit was likely a nod to the ongoing battle between Rowling and Watson, as well as other members of the Harry Potter cast. Rowling has been in a public feud with Watson, co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, and others for years due to her controversial views on transgender rights. She previously vowed to "never forgive" them for "cozying up to a movement intent on eroding women's hard-won rights."
Following Watson’s recent comments, where she said she still "treasured" Rowling, the author released a blistering statement slamming her and suggesting that Watson was trying to shift her stance because "full-throated condemnation of me is not as fashionable as it once was."
Rowling criticized the actors for trying to be "de facto spokespeople" for the world she created, particularly targeting Watson, whom she called "ignorant" due to her lack of experience with "real life." She emphasized that she wasn’t a multimillionaire at fourteen and lived in poverty while writing the books that made Watson famous. "I therefore understand from my own life experience what the trashing of women's rights in which Emma has so enthusiastically participated means to women and girls without her privileges."
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