SNL Writer Suspended Indefinitely After Barron Trump Tweet
SNL writers understandably channel their feelings toward Donald Trump into comedy on a weekly basis, but aren’t immune to crossing lines. NBC seems to agree, as a writer has been given an indefinite suspension for a tweet about Trump’s son Barron.
Over the weekend, SNL writer Katie Rich garnered significant outrage over a since-deleted Inauguration Day tweet referencing Barron Trump, stating “Barron will be this country’s first homeschool shooter.” Following the backlash, Rich set her Twitter account to private and disabled her website, while her name was omitted from the January 21 episode credits (h/t AV Club).
NBC didn’t clarify the omission from the credits, but “A person familiar with the situation” revealed that Rich was placed on indefinite suspension shortly after the tweet. Rich also issued an apology on Monday:
There’s little question that Rich’s joke was in poor taste (involving children is another matter), but the suspension certainly opens up a larger question about SNL’s response to controversy, as writers and stars like Michael Che have also previously sparked online outrage without any apparent reprisal.
In any case, SNL will return on February 4 with host Kristen Stewart, and is sure to have the real Trump hoppin’ mad with Alec Baldwin returning to host the following week.
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