I don't usually see Saturday Night Live, but I did catch some of it on November 2. There was a "Weekend Update" segment during which an ersatz Reba McEntire visited the anchor desk. The flame-haired singer, actress, and coach on The Voice was played by Heidi Gardner wearing a poufy, layered red wig. I didn't find it either especially funny or insulting to the star, but fans seemed to take sides.
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Per Taste Of Country, "Some thought the portrayal was 'disturbingly accurate,' while others found it downright offensive." Whiskey Riff labeled it "bizarre." I interpreted the humorous bit as some silly, good-natured ribbing rather than being mean-spirited, but hey, that's just me.
Why NBC would intentionally demean someone who headlines not one but two of its shows (The Voice and the new sitcom Happy's Place) confounds me, if you happen to believe that McEntire was belittled by the skit in a nasty way.
Those who have seen SNL during its mammoth fifty-year run know without me telling you that its wit can be caustic. The actors and guests take aim at everyone and anyone with no-holds-barred. Politics is the show's bread-and-butter, or if you prefer, its juicy red meat.
The Gist Of The SNL Sketch Involving 'Reba McEntire'
'Reba' Did Not Give A Thumbs-Up To Either Trump Or Harris Days Before The Election
According to the outlet, "Reba" as played by Gardner does not give her celebrity backing to either candidate - the former Republican president or the current Democratic VP. Instead, she prattles on mindlessly about her hometown of McAlester, Oklahoma, and a few other topics. There was plenty of mockery and way-out-there caricaturing of Reba's accent and gestures.
An example via Whiskey Riff: "I come from a little town called McAlester, Oklahoma. We don't make up our minds quickly. In fact, we've got a saying: If you think the milk is spoiled, give it another sip."
No big guffaw there, folks.
I wonder what Reba herself thought of it. Chances are she is so busy doing two shows that she's probably was not up late watching SNL. She seems pretty chill anyway, so it most likely did not get her too miffed.
