Saturday night liveThe latest Weekend Update segment included several jokes about the public’s perception of the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson — and viewers had mixed reactions.
On the Dec. 7 episode of the NBC sketch comedy show — which featured actor Paul Mescal as host and country singer Shaboozey as musical guest — Weekend Update hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che made several jokes about the circumstances surrounding Thompson’s Dec. 4 death. including the NYPD’s search for the still-unknown killer and the public’s reaction to the case.
“This week, New York City officials sent a tough message on crime,” Jost, 42, began the segment, taking aim at the NYPD’s investigation, which has yet to identify a suspect. “‘If you shoot someone in the middle of the street, you better get on your bike, hop on the bus and get out of here, sir.’ ”
“The search continues for the killer who killed the CEO of UnitedHealthcare on Wednesday,” Jost continued, “and it really says something about America that the guy was killed in cold blood, and the two main reactions were, ‘Yeah, well, healthcare stinks!’ And also, ‘Girl, that shooter hot.’ ”
Authorities are examining DNA evidence of a suspect in the slaying of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
Jost also referred to the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting, which took place on December 4, saying, “It’s also so crazy that the shooting happened three blocks from here in broad daylight and the guy just rode off on his bike. Probably because they have every cop in the city, taking care of our Christmas tree.”
“The NYPD now believes the suspect left town on a Port Authority bus. Thanks, but a Port Authority passenger who looks like the killer is actually expanding the search,” Jost added, to laughter from the audience.
Che, 41, made the joke about a photo of the suspect taken from a security camera at a local hostel, in which he is smiling because he was allegedly flirting with an employee.” NYPD says they were able to obtain a smiling image of the suspect after the man was allegedly caught on camera at a local hostel flirting with a female employee, whose name is reported as ‘Lucky S. Bechalive,’ Che said.
Several media outlets reported in the days after the shooting that the public reacted to Thompson’s death with bitterness at the American health care system as a whole. The CNN report cited many TikTok users who shared stories of their bad experiences with UnitedHealthcare and even joked about the shooting, such as one person who wrote, “Sorry United, my thoughts and prayers were denied, just like my rail.”
Brian Thompson, late CEO of UnitedHealthcare.
UnitedHealth Group
Lots of reactions in the comments SNLUser posts on social media following the Weekend Update were similar, with several fans writing on X (formerly Twitter) that the segment was “the best”.
“Joke about Port Authority bus passengers was on target,” one YouTube commenter wrote, while others chimed in with similarly rude jokes about UnitedHealthcare.
Some people, however, expressed their disappointment over the SNL segment, with one commenter writing on X: “Look… I’m all for the laughs, but this was in very poor taste. @nbc Your network owes the family an apology. That was a pretty disgusting thing to do.”
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Police believe UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, the suspect in the shooting, has left New York
“It’s bad taste to make light of someone who has been killed,” another user wrote.
Thompson, 50, was shot and killed before 6:45 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, outside the New York Hilton Midtown. The masked gunman was “laying in wait” outside the building, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
NBC News previously reported that NYPD detectives were working to determine whether words found on shell casings found at the scene — “deny,” “defend” and “take down” — were intended as a message from the shooting suspect and a hint at his motive. Words are often used when talking about the insurance industry to describe a claim denial strategy.
Thompson was in NYC for an investor conference being held at the hotel, NYPD officials said at a news conference Wednesday morning.
Police said the partially masked suspect fled toward Central Park on a Citi Bike electric bicycle after firing at least three shots at the health care worker, hitting him in the back and leg. NYPD officials confirmed that Thompson was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
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Source: HIS Education