Cecily Strong reportedly exited her role as Stefanik in the controversial Saturday Night Live sketch because she felt “uncomfortable.”
A Former “Saturday Night Live” Cast members reportedly took issue with the show’s cold opening scene, which mocked New York Rep. Elise Stefanik instead of speaking out last week about anti-Semitism on campus The college president whose testimony caused an uproar.
Sources told the New York Post on Monday that Cecily Strong was originally set to return to the show to play Stefanik in a sketch. Although Strong was present during rehearsals, she apparently exited the show after feeling “uncomfortable” at the “last minute.” sketch. “
Another insider told The Washington Post, “Cecily backed out at the last minute for a number of reasons.”
Fox News Digital reached out to NBC and Strong for comment.
Cecily Strong will reportedly play Elise Stefanik in the cold open of the college president’s testimony. (Photo: JC Olivera/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images/Jiang Haiyun/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Newcomer Chloe Troast plays Stefanik in the film Most of the opening scene pans While the presidents’ comments were met with widespread backlash, it seemed more focused on mocking the New York representative than the presidents of Harvard, Penn and MIT.
“I’m here today because hate speech has no place on college campuses. In Congress, on Elon Musk’s Twitter, at private dinners with my donors, and with my work husband Hate speech is hate speech in Donald Trump’s public speeches,” Trost’s Stefanik said.
Stefanik’s office issued a statement saying the congresswoman did not watch the clip.
“Alice wasn’t watching. Yet her office was flooded with messages from thousands of Americans from across the political spectrum—Democrats and Republicans—who were expressing their disapproval of the unfunny, morally bankrupt ‘comedians.’ Shocked and disgusted by the Jewish garbage,” said consultant Alex de Grasse.
Chloe Troast as Rep. Elise Stefanik and Molly Kearney during the “College Chancellor” cold session on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 (Molly Kearney) as Congresswoman Virginia Foxx. (Photo by Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images)
He added, “Saturday Night Live made history with its worst cold open ever because everyone knew there was absolutely no evil humor in the college president’s failure to condemn calls for genocide against the Jews.”
During last week’s hearing, Stefanik aggressively challenged the university president over anti-Semitic demonstrations on campus, particularly those calling for an “uprising” or genocide against Jews.
“Does calling for the genocide of Jews at Harvard violate Harvard’s bullying and harassment rules?” Stefanik asked.
Harvard University President Claudine Gay responded: “That could be, depending on the circumstances.”
Stefanik similarly asked Penn State President Liz Magill whether “calling for the genocide of the Jewish people violates the law.”[s] Penn State Rules or Code of Conduct? Yes or no? “
New York Rep. Elise Stefanik speaks during a House Education Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Schiffelbein)
“If words turn into actions, that could be harassment, yes,” Magill responded, later adding, “It’s a decision that depends on the circumstances.”
Magill She left her post on Saturday hours before the NBC variety show aired.
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