HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

Timothée Chalamet's brutal 'SNL' joke about Jimmy Carter has viewers saying the same thing

Chalamet and 'Saturday Night Live' have not responded to the controversy. However, the incident reignited debates about the fine line between humor and insensitivity.

Timothée Chalamet is facing immense backlash after making an off-color joke about former President Jimmy Carter during his recent Saturday Night Live appearance. The controversial remark came just weeks after Carter’s death at age 100, sparking outrage among netizens. During his monologue, Chalamet showed a montage of clips where he lost out on acting awards and joked about how difficult it was to maintain his composure, as reported by Blast.

He said, “It’s an enormous honor going to these award shows. It’s such a great experience. But I just keep losing. And each time, it gets harder to pretend it doesn’t sting." The controversy arose during a skit called 'Bungee,' where Chalamet played a workout instructor. At one point, he instructed participants to perform an exercise move he dubbed 'The Jimmy Carter,' which involved everyone hanging limp in their harnesses, mimicking death. The studio audience reacted immediately, with audible gasps. Viewers at home also expressed their shock and disapproval online.

In response to a clip of the same on YouTube, a viewer slammed, “Totally disrespectful and out of line. And yes, I have a sense of humor and love the show, but that was just horrible and too soon. I hope his family didn’t see that.” Another echoed, “Too soon and not funny! The whole skit was crap.” Chiming in, another penned, “Someone’s going to hell for that one,” while one remarked, “Wow, 'SNL', a Jimmy Carter is dead joke? Not funny, not appropriate.” The backlash even extended to Chalamet’s professional prospects. Some fans speculated that the joke might hurt his chances of winning an Oscar for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in 'A Complete Unknown.' A netizen reasoned, “If I were a betting man, I would’ve bet on Timothée Chalamet winning an Oscar for his Dylan portrayal, but his dead Jimmy Carter joke on 'SNL' a full month before voting ends changes that. Insensitive and really immature. Just unnecessary.”

Chalamet and 'Saturday Night Live' have not responded to the controversy. However, the incident reignited debates about the fine line between humor and insensitivity. While 'SNL' has long been known for edgy comedy, many viewers felt the joke crossed the line, given Carter’s legacy as a respected statesman.

Carter passed away on December 29, 2024, after spending nearly two years in hospice care, as reported by Live Mint. As the longest-living U.S. president, he left behind a legacy of peace and human rights advocacy. His son, Chip, said in his statement, “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.”

Carter’s presidency was marked by significant achievements, including the Camp David Accords in 1978, where he brokered a peace agreement between Egypt and Israel. He also prioritized energy conservation— created the Department of Energy and championed renewable energy initiatives. Additionally, Carter expanded environmental protections by designating millions of acres in Alaska as wilderness and increasing the scope of national parks.