SNL Skewers Roe v. Wade Reversal

Show likens abortion decision to those in medieval times
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted May 8, 2022 9:32 AM CDT

Saturday Night Live didn't waste time getting to the biggest story of the week, skewering the Supreme Court draft opinion that would reverse Roe v. Wade in the show's cold open, reports TVLine. The sketch depicts a trio of medieval men in the year 1235 deciding to outlaw abortion. Watch it in full here. Some of the lines:

  • “I was just wondering since I’m almost at the childbearing age of 12, shouldn’t women have the right to choose, since having a baby means like a 50 percent chance of dying?” asks Cecily Strong, playing a villager, per CNN.
  • “Yes, but that’s why we’re also offering maternity leave," answers the character played by the week's host, Benedict Cumberbatch. "When you’re done with 20 years of continuous maternity, you can leave.”

  • Kate McKinnon, playing a woman who can see the future, enters and declares that “these barbaric laws will someday be overturned by something called progress. And then, after about 50 years after the progress, they’ll be like, ‘Maybe we should undo the progress.'" She adds, per the New York Times: "I don’t know why my visions from that time are very confusing. Seems like all of the power comes from a place called Florida. And if you think our customs are weird, you should watch the trial of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.”
  • After McKinnon's character draws applause by encouraging women to "keep fighting," Cumberbatch's character responds: “That’s really inspiring. And after hearing your perspective, I suddenly realize—you’re a witch and we’re going to set you on fire.”
(More Saturday Night Live stories.)

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