A Saturday Night Live (SNL) skit parodying JoJo Siwa‘s transformation into her “bad girl” persona drew mixed reactions online, with people pointing to the inappropriateness of adults mocking a young queer artist who grew up in an abusive environment.
Impressionist Chloe Fineman transformed into the Dance Moms star during SNL’s Weekend Update segment on Saturday (May 4) along with co-anchor Colin Jost.
“Wow, oh my god, JoJo!” Colin exclaimed at the sight of Chloe’s JoJo impression.
“That’s right, Colin; I’m a bad girl now!” Chloe replied as she was covered in glitter, wearing leather and rocking black lipstick.
An SNL skit parodying JoJo Siwa’s “bad girl” transformation sparked debate over appropriateness
“Yeah, it’s a pretty big change. I used to be way more sparkles, and now, I’m black sparkles,” the 35-year-old comedian added.
At some point, Chloe retorted: “I look like if a figure skater joined a street gang,” as the 41-year-old host joked: “I was gonna say [you look like] if Mad Max was on Broadway.”
Chloe continued: “Does it scare you, Colin?
“Does a former child star looking like this scare you?”
The Father of the Bride actress went on to whip out a pack of candy smokes before claiming she “does cigarettes” now.
She went on to take a dig at JoJo’s now-infamous interview where the 20-year-old said she had invented a new genre called “gay pop,” which she later apologized for.
“I’m 20, and I’m gay! I’m the first gay girl in the world! Bet you never met a gay girl before!” Chloe mocked.
Some viewers highlighted concerns about mocking a young queer artist with a troubled past
“JoJo, you were quoted as saying you invented a new genre of music,” Colin remarked, to which the comedian answered: “That’s right, gay pop!”
“That’s maybe just ‘pop,’” Colin went on to say.
The skit, which has now gone viral on social media, sparked divided reactions, with some interpreting the number as a form of bullying.
“SNL still leaves a bad taste in my mouth,” a person wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
They continued: “I can’t fully point out why but for this?
“It’s a bit horrid knowing Jojo Siwa grew up in an abusive environment, is very sheltered, and doesn’t really know what a normal life is then she gets picked on for like having an annoying dance thing.”
The skit featured Chloe Fineman impersonating JoJo and Colin Jost
Another X user commented: “I really hope Jojo Siwa knows we (especially that SNL skit) are laughing at her and NOT with her.”
Someone else penned: “More articles should be written because this is not ok, this girl has been bullied since she was a child and now receiving extra hate and for being herself.”
JoJo was about nine years old when she appeared in Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition with her mom.
The 20-year-old dancer’s appearance on Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition led to her being cast on Dance Moms, further catapulting her to fame for being the bow-wearing, high-energy pop sensation.
Dance Moms often displayed a toxic environment where the young cast members were the subject of verbally abusive behavior from dance coach Abby Lee Miller, in addition to extreme competitive pressure.
In recent years, older footage of the Lifetime reality TV show showed that JoJo’s mother, Jessalynn Siwa, had been bleaching her daughter’s hair blonde since she was only two years old.
The 20-year-old dancer’s appearance on Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition led to her being cast on Dance Moms
In a 2020 interview with Variety, JoJo opened up about the “worst day in her career.”
She recalled: “After I was the top meme in October, with people criticizing my hairline and saying I’m a giant toddler, I went to Knott’s Scary Farm, and people were being awful.
“All these teenagers were, like, ‘JoJo Siwa, F you! Go home.’
“All night long people were shouting things at me.
“So I just thought teenagers don’t like me. And I am one!
“But I didn’t have any teenage friends, and I do now.”
Despite some concerns spreading on social media as a result of the SNL skit, JoJo appeared to react positively, as she reshared the segment on her Instagram story over the weekend.
The performer wrote: “Iconic. I literally don’t know what to say.
“This is f—— crazy.
“3-and-a-half-minute skit on SNL…”
You can watch the SNL skit below:
The Nebraska native debuted a completely new look last month, promoting her Karma song on the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards red carpet.
Her new sense of fashion has often been ridiculed online. Nevertheless, JoJo discussed her new music and her “transition” to adulthood, explaining: “I’ve seen people before me make this transition,
“I’ve seen how much I loved it, and I’ve seen also how much the world has criticized us, so I am ready for that.”
SNL viewers were left divided over the JoJo Siwa skit
