The UK edition of Saturday Night Live took a sharp jab at singer Ed Sheeran in its recent season premiere, addressing the ongoing backlash related to his Loop Tour. The episode kicked off with a biting sketch that explored themes of indecision and neutrality, featuring characters inspired by King Charles and Princess Diana, but ultimately pivoting to criticism of Sheeran’s reluctance to take a public stance on controversial issues.
Sketch Highlights Sheeran’s Timidity
In this opening sketch, King Charles, portrayed by Larry Dean, interacts with a new AI bot named DIANA, designed as a “Deeply Intelligent, Autonomous, Neurokinetic Android.” This AI, created by two tech billionaires played by Celeste Dring and Freddie Meredith, malfunctions and turns violent, prompting Charles to declare the need for resistance. However, the character representing Ed Sheeran, played by Annabel Marlow, humorously interjects, “I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. I was just outside sitting on the fence. Thing is, Your Majesty, I don’t like to take sides. I don’t want to alienate any of my fans, humans or robots.” The faux Sheeran continues with a song about the supposed validity of both sides in a conflict, further emphasizing his perceived indecision.
Digging Deeper on ‘Weekend Update’
The show’s hosts, Ania Magliano and Paddy Young, later revisited the Ed Sheeran theme during the “Weekend Update” segment. Magliano quipped about the situation, saying, “This crisis is the worst thing that has happened to Ed Sheeran fans since their head injury.” Young chimed in with a sarcastic observation: “Say what you want about Ed, but he has always been a passionate advocate of causes that are allowed.”
The Loop Tour Controversy
The controversy surrounding Sheeran comes on the heels of significant fallout during his Loop Tour, notably following the decision to drop Macklemore from the lineup. Venues reportedly communicated that they would not host concerts if the Seattle rapper remained on the bill due to backlash over his pro-Palestine activism. Macklemore faced intense scrutiny from pro-Israel groups after making statements at MetLife Stadium that included expressing solidarity with Gaza and the West Bank, performing protest songs, and sharing images depicting the toll of conflict. The backlash was such that all supporting acts on Sheeran’s tour, including Finneas, Lukas Graham, and Aaron Row, subsequently withdrew.
As the controversy unfolded, Sheeran performed in Philadelphia, where he addressed the ongoing situation directly, stating, “I don’t want to disappoint fans, and I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet.” He emphasized the importance of his concerts being safe spaces for all fans, which he considers integral to his identity as an artist.
