Fran Drescher Enforces A SAG Strike-Friendly Halloween On Saturday Night Live
Most people who wear a costume for Halloween want to dress up as one of their favorite characters from a movie or TV show. So, this year, you expect to see a lot of Barbies, maybe some "I Think You Should Leave" driving crooners, and of course a whole host of Miles Raymonds, as people fondly remember Paul Giamatti's character from "Sideways" in their eager anticipation of the release of "The Holdovers."
There's a problem with wanting to do that, though, if you are a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA), as the guidelines of the ongoing strike stipulate that you cannot promote any struck material. This includes dressing up as a film or TV character on Halloween, a decision that has ruffled the feathers of a number of people. Personally, I agree with the rule. But a big sticking point with a lot of actors was that these rules also apply to anyone who wants to be in SAG-AFTRA in the future, which would mean that kids wouldn't be able to wear these costumes either. However, SAG-AFTR later clarified that this rule doesn't apply to children.
But that didn't stop "Saturday Night Live" from lampooning this rule on their most recent episode, complete with an impersonation of SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher.
Watch the trick-or-treat sketch
The sketch entitled "Trick-or-Treat with Fran Drescher" centers of Sarah Sherman playing the star of "The Nanny," instructing a couple (host Nate Bargatze and Ego Nwodim) on what is and is not acceptable as a costume on Halloween with a parade of various child performers in costumes. Instead of Mario, you can be the guy on the pizza box. Instead of Wolverine, you can be any gay man over 50. And if you so choose, you can be Hoda Kotb, the performance of which is clear standout of the sketch.
It is not the funniest sketch, the most incisive sketch, or the most creative sketch, but it does serve a purpose: giving a big platform to publicly call out the greed of the AMPTP. The negotiations between them and SAG-AFTRA are ongoing, and we don't have a clear picture at all of when an agreement will reached, especially with the loud calls to not settle in recent days. The WGA strike lasted 148 days, and the current one recently passed 100 days. People want to get back to work, but they aren't going to do so with an unfair or subpar deal. Nor should they. And to those SAG-AFTRA members who are deciding to break strike rules a dress up as a struck character for Halloween, all you're doing is throwing it in the face of the countless members working tirelessly to make sure you have a more secure future in the business.