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Saturday Night Live poked fun at the TikTok ban as the app went dark in the US.
The US sketch show aired on Saturday (18 January) around the same time American users received a message reading: “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”
However, the app reassured the 170 million people whom the ban will affect, telling them: “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
After an opening monologue from host Dave Chappelle that saw him tell Trump “remember, whether people voted for you or not, they’re all counting on you”, SNL addressed a raft of other subjects, including the LA wildfires and the looming TikTok ban over alleged threats to national security.
Backers of the law argue that ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, gives the Chinese government a potential backdoor into the private information of its US users and a powerful covert propaganda tool.
On the “Weekend Update” segment, comedian Michael Longfellow dropped by to “mourn the loss” of TikTok.
When Michael Che asked him if he’s “against the United States banning TikTok”, Longfellow said: “Correct. It’s the first political opinion I’ve ever had. I feel it’s my responsibility to come out here and defend TikTok’s rights to remain in these United States.”
When Che pointed out “there are legitimate reasons for banning TikTok”, Longfellow replied: “Like what? Because it’s Chinese? That we’re just banning things because they’re from China now? Well, you know who else was from China? That’s right – Jesus Christ.”
Che then asked: “What about the fact they say TikTok is stealing your data?”, Longfellow quipped: “Who cares about my data? ‘Oh no, China knows I like thick Latinas.’ Who doesn’t? Give me a break.”
Longfellow was then grilled on “all the research that tells you TikTok is bad for your brain”, to which he said: “Ahhh, this is boring,” before trying to swipe up – as you would on the app – in real-time.
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“Are you trying to swipe up on me?” Che asked, with Longfellow joking: “Yes! Why won’t you go!”
Longfellow ended the skit by saying: “I don’t remember how to live without TikTok. I know I lived a life before TikTok, I must have, but that boy is dead. He’s dead and he’s never coming back. Without TikTok, I don’t know anything anymore. What do I do at work? What do I even watch during a movie?”
President Joe Biden signed legislation in April requiring TikTok to be sold by its owner, Chinese company ByteDance, or face a ban – and the Supreme Court upheld the decision on Friday (17 January).
The law, called the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, gave the company 270 days. The clock was due to run out on Saturday night and no buyer had emerged in public.
Trump has now said, when his second term starts on Monday (20 January), he will “look” into “saving” it.
