What does a chaotic baby pygmy hippo from a zoo in Thailand have to do with a queer pop icon?
If you’ve been on any sort of social media recently, then you’ve probably heard of either recent chart-topper artist Chappell Roan or internet sensation Moo Deng (psst, that’s Thai for “bouncy pork!”)
They have both been recipients of immense attention, with some interactions bordering on intense, unwanted, and even dangerous. Chappell Roan has been loud about voicing her displeasure with the scrutiny and recognition of her newfound fame, claiming that “predatory behavior (disguised as ‘superfan’ behavior) has become normalized.”
A few weeks ago, on the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards, The Today Show reported that Roan had a documented altercation with a harassing paparazzo. Many people online have taken to calling Roan “ungrateful,” “entitled,” and “out of touch,” with many claiming that parasocial relationships are a side effect of the fame she asked for by becoming an artist.
Similarly, Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo recently born in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, became a viral sensation due to her playful energy and adorable size. This has led to the rest of the hippos in the enclosure facing unsafe conditions as fans have become more problematic during visits. According to NBC News, zoo officials allege that “some of Moo Deng’s visitors have tossed water and other objects at her” and have begun limiting weekday visits to protect the animals’ physical and emotional safety.
Now that we’re all caught up on who we’re talking about, what exactly do Roan and Moo Deng have in common?
They were both the subject of Saturday Night Live’s recent “Weekend Update” skit on Sept. 28 featuring Bowen Yang as the hippo of the hour.
In the skit, Yang, dressed in a hippo costume, uses a taunting, agitated, and stuck-up voice while acting as Moo Deng, complaining about “running around, eating lettuce, trying to bite the water from a hose.” The similarities continue, with ‘Moo Deng’ stating “I will not be making an endorsement in this year’s election,” referencing the recent controversies surrounding celebrity endorsements of presidential candidates and, more specifically, Roan’s refusal to comment on either candidate. Yang’s script as Moo Deng directly lifts language from statements Roan has made and uses it for humor, such as “It has come to the point where I need to set boundaries” and most specifically, “Women owe you nothing. I am at work.”
At the end of the skit, fellow actor and host Colin Jost points out the similarities between the hippo and the pop star. Yang, still in Moo Deng’s character, emphatically asks everyone to “leave her alone” and “stop harassing her.”
If that was an attempt to backpedal the skit…yikes.
Almost immediately, this skit found itself at the center of some controversy, with many pointing out its seemingly mocking tone towards the singer’s reaction to “obsessive fan behavior.” For some social media users, SNL seemed to be making fun of the need for celebrity privacy. Others found it strange to use Roan as a punchline when the singer is set to perform as the musical guest for the show on Nov. 2.
On the other end of the spectrum, some saw it as a way of SNL siding with Roan, using the skit to comment on the fact that fans were treating her like a zoo animal, much like Moo Deng.
Personally, the skit feels tasteless on top of it, just not being all that funny, and it is another addition to my list of SNL skits that makes me cringe and wonder, “How hard can you miss the point?”
In the current world of social media, fame, and the ever-constant eye on celebrities, media outlets should encourage, not mock, those who are advocating for the basic human right to respect, especially as Yang himself has had to take breaks from the mental spotlight to focus on mental health and personal needs.
If anything can be learned from SNL missing the point of controversy or statement, it is that we can turn off our screens from media like this and respect the wishes of celebrities who are just asking to be treated like human beings.