Saturday Night Live is no stranger to controversy, and its latest parody has sparked criticism—this time from The White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood.
The sketch, titled “White POTUS,” spoofed the HBO hit by reimagining the Trump family as guests at the lavish White Lotus resort. While most impressions leaned into the show's signature brand of satire, Wood took issue with how her character, Chelsea, was portrayed.
SNL’s Sarah Sherman played Chelsea with exaggerated prosthetic teeth and wide-eyed expressions, in stark contrast to how other characters were handled. Wood, addressing the sketch on Instagram, said the portrayal felt like a “punch down.”
While Wood emphasized she has no personal issue with Sherman—“Not hating on her, just hating on the concept”—she noted that her character was singled out in a way that didn’t match the rest of the sketch’s tone.
"Last thing I'll say on the matter: I am not thin-skinned. I actually love being taken the p**s out of when it's clever and in good spirits."
"But the joke was about fluoride. I have big gap teeth, not bad teeth. I don't mind caricature; I understand that's what SNL is."
"But the rest of the skit was punching up, and I was the only one punched down on."
Her comments gained traction online, prompting a response from SNL cast member Bowen Yang in a segment for Extra.
He acknowledged Wood’s reaction was “completely valid” and reflected on how parody, while central to comedy, can miss the mark.
“You kind of forget the sort of human, emotional cost that it sort of extols on someone."
"You need those reminders every now and then that parody can go too far sometimes, and that we as comedians can take account for that instead of banging our foot and saying that, like, we should be allowed to say whatever we want because that’s just the culture."
He did emphasize that The White Lotus is a show avidly watched by the SNL cast and crew and that they wish her nothing but the best in it.
- YouTubeyoutu.be
Folks sided with Wood and were not fans of how singled-out she was in the SNL sketch.
@ChrissyCrane-78/YouTube
@78cunobelin/YouTube
Folks noted the difference between parody that punches up, like making fun of the out-of-touch characters on the show, and punching down on actors for physical characteristics.
@Shamanized/YouTube
Some commenters pointed out that Wood's unique dental features are difficult to overlook, even on her own show.
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Some thought Wood should own her unique features, especially in a place like Hollywood.
@anneefreres3299/YouTube
Finally, Yang's comments were a breath of fresh air in the entertainment industry.
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The White Lotus is available for streaming on Max and other platforms.
