Kenan Thompson on Pete Davidson Joke: I’m Sure SNL is ‘Figuring Out a Way to Right That Wrong’
Saturday Night Live star Kenan Thompson faced questions on Tuesday about what the show intends to do about the backlash they’ve received for the joke told by cast member Pete Davidson about GOP congressional candidate Dan Crenshaw.
NBC drew outrage over the weekend after Davidson mocked Crenshaw’s appearance by making light of how he lost an eye from an injury during his service as a the Navy SEAL. Thompson acknowledged on Monday that Davidson “missed the mark” with that gag.
On Tuesday, View co-host Meghan McCain asked Thompson to expand on his earlier criticism of Davison. Thompson responded by calling the situation “an unfortunate outcome.”
“Yesterday is never somewhere I would go – in the offense territory – towards veterans because my father is one,” Thompson said. “It’s been an unfortunate outcome when you’re a comedian going for jokes and you try to figure out a way to get into something that’s a touchy subject or something that is very sorrowful and you want to try to bring joy into something, and you miss the mark.”
Thompson defended Davidson by insisting that he doesn’t intend to offend people with his comedy, and offered an open-ended response about how SNL will respond to all of the blowback.
“They are figuring out a way to right that wrong, I’m pretty sure, because it’s not our intention to disrespect anyone. Our whole thing is just to be artists and hold up the mirror.”
Watch above, via ABC.
[Image via screengrab]
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