SNL criticized the use of “offensive” and “mean” Irish stereotypes in Banshees of Inisherin Oscar’s sketch

Saturday night live has come under fire for using “offensive” stereotypes about Irish people in a sketch featuring impersonations of Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.

Saturday’s (March 11) episode was hosted by Wednesday star Jenna Ortega and started with a cold candid sketch on the Oscars red carpet.

In the sketch, hosts Mario Lopez and “Maria Menounos or Kit Hoover” (Marcello Hernandez and Heidi Gardner) interview celebrities ahead of the awards ceremony, which takes place on Sunday (March 12).

“I was told that we have the stars from The Banshees by InisherinColin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson,” says Gardner, while Mikey Day and Molly Kearny then star as the Irish acting couple.

“How do you rate your chances tonight?” Gardner asks her, and the comedians respond in extremely thick, hard-to-understand accents.

“Wow, and they haven’t even started drinking yet!” Hernandez responds as Lopez.

The clip circulated on Twitter on Sunday, with viewers criticizing the “wildly offensive” portrayal of the Irish in the sketch.

“Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson will be among the most charming and articulate nominees tonight, but SNL still find it funny to reduce them to stupid, boring Irish stereotypes? Into the bin,” read one tweet.

“I really don’t know who SNL thinks it’s appealing whenever it does those awful “The Irish are drunks and nobody understands their accent” parts. But that could be said of most SNL Content tbh,” tweeted another viewer.

“It really wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Week without it SNL making an offensive joke based on Irish stereotypes that wasn’t funny in 1970 but alone in 2023,” wrote one Twitter user.

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“Usually love SNL but the 1980s called and they want their Irish stereotype jokes back,” said another commenter.

Derry girls Creator Lisa McGee shared the clip with the words, “Yeah that’s good,” followed by a face palm emoji.

The alcohol commentary drew particular criticism due to Farrell’s history with sobriety. The actor has been sober since 2006 but checked himself into rehab in 2018 as a “precautionary measure.”

“Not the Irish alcoholic trope in terms of an actor being very open about his journey with sobriety. Absolutely not that SNL‘ read one tweet.

Another commenter wrote: “One last thing on this #SNL crap. There’s also the hugely tricky notion of ending with, “We haven’t started drinking yet” when Colin Farrell entered rehab 20 years ago. But it doesn’t matter. You are Irish. Drunk jokes are always okay apparently.”

“SNL is notorious for poking fun at the Irish accent but says Colin Farrell “hasn’t even started drinking yet” despite being sober for 20 years and going into rehab of his own volition to make sure he hasn’t had a drink for just a few years ago is mean for an old cliche,” added another viewer.

The Independent has reached out to NBC for comment.

The Banshees by Inisherin was nominated for eight awards at Sunday night’s Academy Awards, with Farrell, Gleeson, Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon all nominated in acting categories.

The comedy-drama is also in the running for best picture. You can read and follow all the nominees here The Independent‘s live blog here.