‘SNL’ spoofs Kanye West’s unsolicited visit to Skechers amid anti-Semitic comments
“Saturday Night Live” parodied Kanye West’s unsolicited visit to Skechers headquarters amid the fallout from his anti-Semitic comments.
“Here at Skechers, we pride ourselves on two things: Making stylish, comfortable shoes at an affordable price, and having zero tolerance for anti-Semitism,” comedian Cecily Strong said in the skit, while portraying a marketing director for the brand.
“Like the rest of the country, we were appalled by Kanye’s horrific comments, and we vowed to never work with him in any capacity,” she added.
“But, can we also point out, of all the companies he could of approached and been rejected by, he chose Skechers.”
Strong’s co-star Bowen Yang was also part of the skit, playing a Skechers employee for the faux commercial.
“That’s why this week, when Kanye West showed up at our corporate office asking to work with us, we said no,” he stated. “And we immediately escorted him out of the building.”
Yang later questioned, “What would you call a Kanye Skechers shoe anyway, a Skeezy?” before adding, “Two years ago, can you imagine the headline, ‘Skechers too good for Kanye?’”
The spoof also took aim at other major fashion companies, namely Adidas, which took several days to sever ties with West, 45, following his anti-Semitic tirade.
“It took Adidas so many days to decide not to work with him. He walked in we were, buy, buh-bye, door,” Strong said in character.
Yang, who jokingly asked why Crocs have been silent on the matter, concluded the skit by stating, “I’m sure Kanye will find a morally dubious company to work with instead.”
The ad then cut to James Austin Johnson as the Trump-supporting Michael J. Lindell, who announced a fake My Pillow collaboration with West.
As previously reported, the disgraced fashion designer — who also goes by Ye — arrived at the shoe company’s California HQ on Wednesday morning, wanting to speak with executives about potential business opportunities, according to TMZ.
Skechers explained in a statement later that day that West was immediately turned away.
“[West] arrived unannounced and without invitation at one of Skechers’ corporate offices in Los Angeles,” the spokesperson said. “Considering Ye was engaged in unauthorized filming, two Skechers executives escorted him and his party from the building after a brief conversation.”
The incident came just days after Adidas gave West the ax, dropping him as a partner, manufacturer and distributor of the Yeezy brand, following his anti-Semitic remarks.