Cecily Strong was ‘uncomfortable’ as Stefanik in ‘SNL’ antisemitism sketch and backed out at last minute: source

nypost.com:

heavily criticized cold-open sketch, sources confirm to The Post.Strong, 39, appeared as a guest in the dress rehearsal ahead of the live show, then changed her mind “last minute” about playing Stefanik in the sketch, which mocked last week’s congressional hearings on antisemitism on college campuses.

Newcomer Chloe Troast replaced Strong on air.The opening sketch is always the last one to be written and Saturday’s was slightly rushed, according to sources.

Indeed, there was a mix-up with the nameplates in front of stars Heidi Gardner (playing now-resigned UPenn president Elizabeth Magill) and Chloe Fineman (playing MIT president Sally Kornbluth), later corrected in the online version.Strong’s guest appearance would have been her first time back since leaving in December 2022, after 11 seasons on the NBC show.A TV source told The Post: “Cecily was uncomfortable with the sketch.” Another insider added: “There were a variety of reasons, and last minute Cecily pulled out of the cold open.”The Post has reached out to Strong and NBC for comment.In an exclusive statement, Alex DeGrasse, Stefanik’s Senior Advisor, told The Post: “Elise did not watch it.

However, her office was flooded with messages from thousands of Americans across the political spectrum — Democrats and Republicans — who were appalled and disgusted by the antisemitic trash spewed by unfunny, morally bankrupt ‘comedians.’“SNL made history with the worst cold open ever because everyone knows there is absolutely no humor in the vile answers from the university presidents regarding their failure to condemn calls for the genocide of the Jewish people.” The sketch attempted to poke fun at the testimony by the presidents of Harvard, UPenn and MIT regarding.