Viewers React to Controversial “SNL” Weekend Update Jokes About UnitedHealthcare CEO Assassination

Saturday Night Live's latest Weekend Update segment included several jokes about the public perception of the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson — and viewers had mixed reactions.

On the Dec. 7 episode of the NBC sketch comedy show — which featured actor Paul Mescal as host and country singer Shaboozey as musical guest — Weekend Update hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che made a few jokes about the circumstances surrounding Thompson's Dec. 4 death, including the NYPD's search for the still-unknown shooter and the public's reaction to the case.

"This week, New York City officials sent a tough message on crime," Jost, 42, began the segment, taking aim at the NYPD's investigation, which has not yet yielded a suspect. " 'If you shoot somebody in the middle of the street, you better get on your bike, hop on a bus and get the heck out of here, mister.' "

"The manhunt continues for the assassin who gunned down the CEO of UnitedHealthcare on Wednesday," Jost continued, "and it really says something about America that a guy was murdered in cold blood and the two main reactions were, 'Yeah, well healthcare stinks!' And also, 'Girl, that shooter hot.' "

Related: Authorities Examining DNA Evidence of Suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's Murder

Jost also referenced the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting, which took place on Dec. 4, saying: "It's also so crazy that the shooting happened three blocks from here in broad daylight, and the guy just bicycled away. Probably because they have every cop in the city guarding our Christmas tree."

"The NYPD now believes the suspect left the city on a bus from Port Authority. Thanks, but a Port Authority passenger who looks like a murderer actually widens the search," Jost added, to laughs from the crowd.

Che, 41, chimed in with a joke about a photo of the suspect taken from a security camera at a local hostel, in which he was smiling because he was allegedly flirting with a staffer.

"New York City police say that they were able to get the smiling picture of the suspect after the man apparently was caught on camera at a local hostel, flirting with a female employee, whose name has been reported as ‘Lucky S. Bechalive,' " Che said.

Several outlets have reported in the days since the shooting that the public has responded to Thompson's death with bitterness about the U.S. healthcare system at large. A report from CNN quoted many TikTok users who shared stories about their poor experiences with UnitedHealthcare and even made jokes about the shooting, such as one person who wrote: "Sorry United, my thoughts and prayers were denied, just like my son's medication."

Many reactions in the comments of SNL's social media posts following the Weekend Update bit were similar, with a few fans writing on X (formerly Twitter) that the segment was "the best."

"The Port Authority bus traveler joke was on target," one commenter on YouTube wrote, while others chimed in with similarly off-color jokes about UnitedHealthcare of their own.

Some people, however, expressed their disappointment over the SNL segment, with one commenter writing on X: "Look... I'm all for laughs, but this was in seriously poor taste. @nbc Your network owes the family an apology. That was a pretty odious thing to do."

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Related: Police Believe UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Shooting Suspect Has Left New York City

"Making light of someone being murdered is in poor taste," another user wrote.

Thompson, 50, was shot and killed before 6:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 4, outside the New York Hilton Midtown. The masked gunman was “lying in wait” outside the building, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

NBC News previously reported that NYPD detectives are working to establish whether the words found on bullet casings recovered at the scene — "deny," "defend" and "depose" — were meant as a message from the shooting suspect and a hint as to his motive. The words are often used when referring to the insurance industry to describe a strategy of rejecting claims.

Thompson was in N.Y.C. for an investors' conference taking place at the hotel, NYPD officials said at a press conference on Wednesday morning.

Police have said the partially-masked suspect fled towards Central Park on an electric Citi Bike after firing at least three shots at the healthcare executive and hitting him from behind in the back and leg. NYPD officials confirmed that Thompson was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

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