An <em>SNL</em> Sketch That Understands How the Internet Shapes Our Reality
Sometimes your favorite influencer is really weird, and your friends just don’t get it.
A recent sketch from Saturday Night Live captured the peculiar disconnect that can arise when people share their online consumption with one another. The sketch featured three teen girls at a sleepover, each taking turns introducing their favorite "get-ready-with-me" videos. These videos are popular content formats where creators dress and prepare themselves for the day.
One character, played by Sarah Sherman, introduced the influencer she admired most, @ColoradoVicky1 (portrayed by Dakota Johnson), whose life seemed unappealing. In a clip, @ColoradoVicky1 appeared vacant-eyed as she invited her audience to "get ready with me for court-ordered electroshock therapy." She also styled herself with green lipstick and a Teletubby-like antenna, preparing for a 5150 hold at a Whole Foods.
The teen girl watching the videos was seemingly unbothered by the content, even admitting to being "legiterally addicted" to @ColoradoVicky1's content. The sketch highlighted the algorithms that serve up specialized content, creating a warped mirror of each user's reality.
As the girls watched more clips of @ColoradoVicky1, her behavior became increasingly strange. She claimed her "outfit of the day" was handcuffs, which she planned to use to attach herself to the actor who played Turtle in Entourage. She even went as far as giving herself a lobotomy in a how-to video, advising viewers to use a power drill.
The sketch's portrayal of @ColoradoVicky1's online persona became more bizarre with each passing clip, while her offline life was also affected by her online consumption. Her father, played by James Austin Johnson, came into the room multiple times, expressing his depression over various online-related issues. His real life was being influenced by his online activities, causing strain within his relationship with his daughter.
The teen girls remained unconcerned about their friend's online content, following the advice of "stop giving him attention—that’s, like, exactly what he wants." This trend of ignoring warning signs in others' lives is emphasized in the sketch, which ultimately warns viewers about the potential dangers of online rabbit holes. The sketch-comedy version of this situation is amusing, but the real-life consequences of such behavior can be unnerving.
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