Hollywood Scandal: SNL Star Slams Back at Critics Over Provocative Parody of Mayim Bialik's Iconic Blossom Role
I was deeply disturbed
Summary
Mayim Bialik expressed her feeling of being singled out when her Jewish nose was parodied in an SNL parody of Blossom.
Former Saturday Night Live (SNL) cast member Melanie Hutsell took a moment to reflect on her experience of donning a prosthetic nose while portraying Blossom. She acknowledges now that it was indeed a mistake, but at the time, she was apprehensive about standing up against it fearing potential termination. However, with hindsight, Hutsell now understands that refusing to wear the prosthetic would have been the correct course of action, irrespective of the potential job loss.
Former Saturday Night Live star Melanie Hutsell has shared her thoughts on wearing a fake nose during a Blossom parody sketch. The sketch, which aired during SNL season 19 in 1994, focused on Blossom revealing her sexual activity to her father, with Hutsell donning a exaggeratedly large nose. In a recent editorial for Variety, Mayim Bialik, who played the lead character on Blossom, discussed how her own Jewish nose was parodied in the sketch, expressing feelings of shame and being singled out.
Entertainment Weekly recently released a statement from Hutsell regarding the sketch. Hutsell, who left SNL after season 19 and has since appeared in projects like Lady Dynamite and Hulu's Tiny Beautiful Things, acknowledges that she knew it was inappropriate. She reveals that she was pressured to wear the prosthetic nose and threatened with termination if she refused. Looking back, Hutsell admits that standing up for herself and refusing to wear the nose would have been the right thing to do, even if it meant risking her job. You can read Hutsell's full statement and a larger excerpt from Bialik's article below.
This Saturday Night Live Controversy Ties Into Contemporary Issues
The SNL sketch from nearly 30 years ago has sparked conversation for an important reason. Bialik highlights in her editorial that the recent uproar is due to a new movie using a prosthetic nose on a non-Jewish actor to depict a Jewish character. The film in question is Maestro, a biopic on Leonard Bernstein, directed and co-written by Bradley Cooper.
Maestro delves into the life of the renowned composer Leonard Bernstein, played by Cooper, and his marriage to Felicia Montealegre, portrayed by Carey Mulligan. The movie has already generated Oscar buzz and earned an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 87% following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival. However, Cooper's portrayal of Bernstein involves the use of a false nose to represent his Jewish identity.
An Excerpt From Mayim Bialik's Editorial
Cooper's prosthetic nose serves as a constant reminder that the discussion of proper representation is far from over. Although the satirical portrayal of Blossom on Saturday Night Live occurred in the distant past, the underlying issue remains relevant and prevalent. As the release date for Maestro nears, it remains uncertain whether there will be a significant reckoning. Nevertheless, this controversy has shed light on a deeply-rooted problem that has quietly persisted within the realms of Hollywood for numerous years.In the ‘90s, achieving success meant being parodied on "SNL"... I was thrilled. But then I watched the skit. The actress imitating me was dancing and making exaggerated facial expressions, which was hilarious. However, she also sported a prosthetic nose. To truly capture the essence of "Blossom," she wore a comically large fake nose. I can't say for certain if it was bigger than my actual nose, and I don't want to dwell on that detail. What struck me as odd was that only my features were targeted for parody, unlike the rest of the cast. While MAD magazine caricatured everyone, I was the sole focus of this particular parody, specifically my nose. I never thought to address it and mostly tried to forget about it, hoping nobody would notice. All my high school friends watched "SNL," so there was no chance of it going unnoticed, and I felt ashamed.
Melanie Hutsell's Full Statement
During the preparations for the sketch many years ago, I was deeply unsettled by the request to wear a prosthetic nose to portray Mayim Bialik's character, Blossom. I instinctively knew it was misguided. When I voiced my objection to wearing the prosthetic nose, I was informed that refusal would result in termination, even though a significant number of those involved in creating the sketch were Jewish. Despite my inherent sense of right and wrong, I lacked the courage to resist and chose to participate in the sketch. Looking back, if I had the opportunity to alter history, I would have stood firm in refusing to wear the prosthetic nose, despite the potential jeopardy to my job. It would have been the ethically sound choice.
