Timothee Chalamet recently found himself at the center of controversy following a skit on Saturday Night Live that referenced the former president, Jimmy Carter, who passed away just weeks prior. While some fans dismissed the joke as harmless, others accused both Chalamet and SNL of insensitivity toward Carter and his family.
So, what was Timothee Chalamet’s Jimmy Carter joke that caused backlash from viewers? Here’s everything you need to know about the skit.
What did Timothee Chalamet joke about Jimmy Carter?
In a recent SNL skit called Bungee, Timothee Chalamet played a workout instructor leading a unique class. In this skit, Chalamet and his co-stars were shown doing hanging and swinging-like exercises from harnesses attached to the ceiling.
During the segment, Chalamet’s character directs the group to strike a “Jimmy Carter” pose, and the group then hangs motionless for a moment in a lifeless state. While some audience members laughed, this moment led to gasps and an overwhelming “aww” from the studio audience.
The moment also produced a barrage of criticism against Chalamet online, with many highlighting the recency of Carter’s death. “Too soon and not funny!” one commenter posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Another user on the platform called out Chalamet for not taking Carter’s recent death seriously, posting, “That joke was kinda wild, like seriously too soon for that.”
Some commenters suggested that Chalamet and SNL could have chosen a more fitting subject for satire. One suggested that a joke about former President Joe Biden would have been “funnier” and “more relevant,” since Biden’s presidential term just ended.
However, many other commenters did not seem to mind the joke, responding to others who were upset. Some even found the Jimmy Carter joke funny and expressed it in the comments section of the skit video. “HE WAS 100 YEARS OLD!,” one commenter posted on X. “And up until like two months ago he was widely considered one of the worst US Presidents of all time.”
Another fan pointed out that Chalamet did not directly insult Jimmy Carter and just referenced his death. “I personally don’t think it’s a huge deal,” they added.
