Long Islanders have a sense of humor when it comes ourselves. We can laugh at our own heritage, our faith and even the occasional fat joke. But, for thousands of Long Islanders,who have stood at one too many funerals, the use of Heroin is anything but funny. Legislator Tom Cilmi has called for the Producers of Saturday Night Live, NBC and Julia Louis Dreyfus to issue a formal apology for the distasteful “Heroin AM” skit that Aired last Saturday, April 16th.
The April 16th SNL show, certainly pushed barriers, with a skit called “God’s a Boob Man”, which depicts a anti-gay woman who refuses to tell a Courtroom that God is Gay. But local officials say “Heroin AM” took things too far. The skit illustrates parents who want to “let loose and chase the dragon” while still functioning as decent parents. The commercial style satire, promotes a product called “Heroin AM” that is available in pill form, to crush and snort as well as a gummy bear, which can be melted down and injected.
“Long Island is home to hundreds of parents who have lost their children to heroin overdoses… To satirize heroin as if it was some sort of energy drink was a slap in the face to everyone who has suffered and everyone who has worked so hard to combat this epidemic.” -Legislator Tom Cilmi
Legislator Cilmi, who has deemed the skit low-brow to say the least, has called on SNL Producer, Lorne Michaels, to issue an apology. Cilmi is demanding Michaels produce a public service announcement in addition to donating 100% of the advertising revenue from the next episode, to go towards getting addicts into treatment.
“That thousands of families across our nation are grieving the loss of loved ones and countless others spend their Saturday nights praying that their kids will make it home alive is no laughing matter. By the time Sunday morning rolled around, another 130 Americans had succumbed to fatal overdoses, many related to heroin, and it’s sad that both SNL and Julia Louis Dreyfus used those struggles as fodder for a joke. It’s hard to imagine that this would be ok with any other disease and it’s not ok with addiction.” -Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds, Executive Director of Family and Childrens’ Association
Smithtown resident and anti-heroin advocate Linda Ventura lost her 21 year old son to a heroin overdose. She has been at the forefront of combating the Heroin epidemic here on Long Island and has called the SNL Skit, “breathtakingly ignorant.”
“During a drug pandemic, not to have the common sense and decency to be sensitive to the incomprehensible grief families and love ones are experiencing is unforgivable. We, the families, will be boycotting SNL and all their sponsors products.” – Linda Ventura
Legislator Cilmi criticized SNL and Louis Dreyfus, stating that SNL should be more sympathetic to the drug epidemic, given the shows history of losing cast members to addictions.
“SNL has seen its share of cast members succumb to addictive behavior. They should know better. The show and, quite frankly, others in the entertainment industry are very quick to criticize government for a variety of social conditions. It’s time the industry looks within and accepts some accountability. Rather than an unfunny skit, an apology, a public service announcement, and a generous donation would be a much more fitting tribute to the memory of Belushi, Farley and the many others in the business who lost their lives to substance abuse, not to mention the thousands who have died in relative obscurity without fanfare.” – Legislator Tom Cilmi