In a series called Mondo Bullshittio, let’s talk about some of the most glaring hypocrisies and faux pas in pop culture…and all that it affects.
As Ariana Grande laps up the success of Wicked (marking her as the only entertainer to have had the number one album, number one song and number one movie in the U.S. this year), it bears “looking back” all of one month ago to Grande’s other big success of the year: appearing on the most watched episode of Saturday Night Live since 2021 when, of all people, host (and douchebag) Elon Musk was the big draw for people to tune in. Of course, Grande couldn’t be more antithetical to the message embodied by Musk—even if she is a fellow rich person with a questionable relationship history. And well, also like Musk, she has no problem making a mockery of Italians, which seems to be a general passion of the SNL writers and actors. Hence, the sketch they gave for Musk to perform in as Wario (an obvious troll about his cartoonishly evil villain image—one that has only augmented in the years since that sketch, complete with sidling up to Donald Trump as he prepares to commandeer the White House…again).
The affronting depiction of Italian culture didn’t go unnoticed at the time, with the National Italian American Foundation commenting, “In an era of enhanced sensitivity to racial and ethnic stereotyping, Saturday Night Live’s sophomoric ‘Wario’ skit demonstrates that a profound double standard continues to exist when it comes to ‘acceptable’ caricaturing of Italians in popular culture.” It was further added that the NIAF “condemns such media depictions which run completely counter to the spirit of the times and the aspirations of the nation.” Alas, that expression of contempt for SNL’s frequent mockery of Italian culture fell on deaf ears as audiences were once again met with a damning depiction/caricature in the form of the “Antonio” sketch that appeared toward the end of Grande’s episode, with Grande in the eponymous role. That role being: a eunuch sporting a “mushroom haircut” of a wig.
Apart from the “Domingo,” sketch, it was, for whatever absurd reason, one of the most beloved moments of that particular night. So beloved, in fact, that when Grande appeared on the November 14th edition of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (almost exactly a month after her SNL episode aired on October 12th), Fallon brought up Antonio, telling Grande, “I saw a character that I think I will never forget: Antonio.”
Grande gushes, “Oh yes.” Fallon then pulls up one of his “visual aids” to show an image of Grande dressed in the part next to Andy Samberg (who has been occasionally reappearing on the show of late). Fallon continues, “I don’t know why but I think this is my favorite thing I’ve ever seen… I heard that people are coming up to you at Wicked premieres wanting you to sign this photo.” Grande confirms, “Well yeah, with posters of Antonio they’ve been coming to the premieres, which is insane, but I mean I really, I understand it, I appreciate it.” Grande then quips, “He’s still with me, you know, he’s…I’m still unpacking the emotional weight of Antonio with my therapist.” Thus, making further light of the character a.k.a. caricature of an Italian person.
And this is something that’s even more offensive because Grande counts herself among the celebrities that declare themselves to be “proud” Italian Americans. With “the descent” appearing on both of her parents’ sides, one would think she might have been taught better about what good “stewardship” of the heritage means. And it certainly ain’t playing a traumatized eunuch. The only thing she spares people from, offense-wise, is an expectedly abominable accent.
That, instead, is left to the other stars of the sketch, starting with “Matteo” (James Austin Johnson) and “Prince Enzo” (Andrew Dismukes) touting their atrocious interpretations what Italians sound like when they speak English. Namely, always putting an “a” in between most words—like Prince Enzo announcing, “Now as you all know, it’s-a the Renaissance and I love-a the music. But if there was anything that could-a make-a the music even more special, I would-a love it even more.” Matteo then tells Enzo that this is why he’s “invited-a the people who come up-a with the ideas for how to make-a the music even more-a special.”
This is when Kenan Thompson (called “Kenan” by Andy Samberg in the sketch) appears with a lute, touting his own offensive accent. Soon after, Maya Rudolph and Andy Samberg (who were playing Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff for the political sketches of election season) appear as the parents of “Antonio,” with Rudolph assuring in her own sendup of what Italians “sound like,” “We think you’re gonna love our son, Antonio, he’s-a very special.”
Enter fragile, traumatized-looking Antonio, who says nothing at all to the prince, just sings in a high pitch when he’s told. Intended to take place during the “Late Renaissance,” a “castrato” was more prevalent during the time of the Roman Empire (see: Sporus), but, for the sake of the “music angle” of the sketch, as well as the desire to “make it funnier” with Renaissance clothing, one can see why the writers opted for this time period. But those who respect fair and accurate Italian representation in media (whether they’re Italians, Italian Americans or simply a person who doesn’t find humor in caricaturizing an entire culture whenever possible), nothing about this sketch made sense. Least of all when they keep belaboring the point about castration by having Samberg and Rudolph talk about the humane way they did it via lightly tweezing the gonad until it just popped right off. Yuk-yuk-yuk. (And yuck, yuck, yuck.)
If the parody of an Italian (and “their” “barbaric customs” that were actually first performed millennia ago in the Sumerian city known as Lagash) doesn’t offend, then surely this odd schadenfreude about a particular kind of trauma will. And should. Yet, for whatever reason, this is the sketch that went as viral as the “Domingo” a.k.a. “Bridesmaid Speech” one. Which, of course, just goes to show that not only is there no accounting for taste, but no accounting for the enduring belief that Italians are always fair game for insulting. This includes getting the nuance of their language wrong. That is to say, titling the episode “Castrati” when it should be “Castrato.” This isn’t a plural situation; there’s only one eunuch in the mix. And “he” inexplicably has everyone else by the balls with this horrific sketch.
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