The November 2nd episode of Saturday Night Live featured a satirical sketch starring comedian John Mulaney. The sketch made light of a unique challenge faced by New York City politician Harvey Epstein: his own name. The SNL sketch was set up as a mock political ad in which Mulaney–as Epstein–candidly addressed the uncomfortable reality that his name is shared with two of the infamous convicted sex offenders, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein.
Mulaney’s character lamented the negative associations tied to the names, saying, “I’m not gonna lie. The name thing has become a bit of an issue. Harvey I could almost handle, but Epstein! This thing is an albatross.”
Throughout the sketch, Mulaney’s Epstein tries to distance himself from the notorious figures, insisting that he is not connected to them in any way, even as the mock ad cuts to actors pretending to have mistaken his identity.
At one point, a woman said, “Everyone deserves a second chance,” which prompted Mulaney to say, “I’m still on my first chance.”
At another point, a woman said, “Do I want him running our schools? Probably not.”
Mulaney replied, “I can run the schools, and I love your children—not in a creepy way. I give you my word. As an Epstein.”
“Now, I really want to emphasize that I am not him,” Mulaney said as he pointed at a photo of Harvey Weinstein. Then, pointing at a picture of Jeffrey Epstein, he said, “And I am not him,” he concluded, “They are different people from each other, and they certainly didn’t combine to form one person in me. That never happened.”
The parody ad culminated in an unfortunate slogan by an unseen voiceover: “Together, we can make this city Epstein’s island,” followed by Mulaney insisting that they not call it that.
Democratic Candidate Harvey Epstein Turns Spectacle to Constructive Use
Following the sketch’s airing, Harvey Epstein, a Democratic candidate for the New York City Council and current state assembly member, responded with good humor on social media.
He posted, “I agree with John @mulaney … let’s not call it Epstein’s Island.”
Between the sketch and his response, candidate Epstein experienced an influx of attention and new social media followers. He chose to take the opportunity to highlight the serious situation underlying the jokes.
“All joking aside,” Epstein posted later, “I hope my newfound followers will consider donating to @RAINN, who do extremely valuable work supporting survivors.”
The organization he pointed attention toward, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National
Network, is the largest sex abuse support organization in the United States.
In a later interview, Epstein admitted that the experience of seeing himself portrayed by Mulaney was “a little freaky.” However, he acknowledged that the sketch could raise awareness about his political campaign. Epstein discussed the importance of navigating the situation appropriately. “It’s really critical that I take the joy out of the joke, and also be serious about issues of domestic violence.”
The Serious Danger in Joke’s Shadow
While Mulaney’s SNL sketch was a joke and Harvey Epstein’s constructive responses were made in good humor, sex offenders and the damage they cause are a serious problem. If you–or someone you know–ever find yourself in crisis due to abuse or any other situation, remember that there are national and global services available to help you.
One such service, the Crisis Text Line, is a free 24/7 service that connects people with trained volunteer crisis counselors who can provide immediate support. Anyone can text any opening words to 741741 to begin the process, and will usually be associated with a counselor in less than five minutes outside peak periods. Counselors are trained to listen actively and respond empathically. You do not have to sort through your emotions and experiences alone.
