“Saturday Night Live” is facing criticism over a season 52 sketch that viewers accused of glorifying Chris Brown, with some calling the segment unfunny.
New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson made his hosting debut on the episode, while Katseye appeared as the musical guest.
In one sketch, Brunson portrayed a man attending an emotional support meeting after his partner went to an Usher and Chris Brown concert.
The two singers are currently performing together on their R&B Tour, which began in June.
Kenan Thompson played another member of the group, describing the moment his girlfriend was brought onto the stage during the Chris Brown and Usher tour.
The rest of the support group responded with sympathetic greetings as he struggled to recount what happened.
“Saturday Night Live” has been criticized for allegedly glorifying Chris Brown in a sketch some viewers described as unfunny during the show’s season 52 premiere.
Jalen Brunson played a character who joined an emotional support group after his partner attended an Usher and Chris Brown concert; Brown is pictured in New York City in 2024.
Thompson’s character said his wife had surprised him with front-row tickets to the concert.
“The show was fun enough. The dancing, the shirts being ripped open and all that,” he said.
He then complained that, six songs into the performance, Usher leaped from the stage while dangling a cherry and appeared ready to drop it into a woman’s mouth. Suddenly, he said, Diane was “hungry as hell.”
When the group urged him to calm down, Thompson replied, “I’m just saying, cherries are out of season! Where did you get that, Usher?”
Brunson then shared his own story, saying his girlfriend had been brought onstage during the Chris Brown and Usher tour.
He said he had not attended the show but had bought tickets for his partner and her friends.
“The next morning, I open TikTok. I see my girl strapped to a pole, spinning like shawarma,” Brunson said.
“There’s Mr. Breezy, no shirt on and drenched in sweat,” he added, using Brown’s nickname.
Kenan Thompson portrayed one of the support-group members, describing how his girlfriend was brought onstage during the Chris Brown and Usher tour.
Brunson then recounted how his girlfriend was brought onto the stage at the Chris Brown-Usher tour.
“The next morning, I open TikTok. I see my girl strapped to a pole, spinning like shawarma,” Brunson said.
“My girl’s eyes are rolling into the back of her head like she’s looking for memories. The video has 123,000 likes. The top comment says, ‘Pray for her man, y’all,’” the basketball star added.
‘My girl’s eyes rolling in the back of her head like she’s looking for memories. Video has 123,000 likes. Top comment says, “Pray for her man, y’all.”‘
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Brunson then added, ‘When I spent $1,200 on that meet and greet, I never expected her to actually greet his meat.’
Others at the meeting voiced similar incidents, with one saying, ‘This kind of stuff don’t happen at the Noah Kahan concert.’
The skit came to an end after everyone in the support group had their chance to speak, and Usher’s hit 2004 track Yeah! began playing in the background.
Following the sketch, some social media users jumped over to X to slam the sketch.
One penned, ‘the chris brown skit was not funny…,’ while another said, ‘Why are they talking about chris brown.’
‘Snl lowkey high key glorifying Chris brown in this new sketch is so icky,’ an X user typed, and one added, ‘g** a** skit glazing chris brown smh this is why the uk version is better.’
Another commented, ‘snl has several new women on their cast and they’re doing an all-male skit centered around chris brown. this is why they’re never beating the not funny allegations.’
Others at the meeting voiced similar incidents, with one saying, ‘This kind of stuff don’t happen at the Noah Kahan concert’
Following the sketch, some social media users jumped over to X to slam the sketch
However, others had a differing opinion as one penned, ‘Aye…I’m actually cackling at this Chris Brown/Usher Anonymous skit.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives of SNL, Brunson and Brown for comment, but has yet to hear back.
It comes three months after Brown pled guilty to affray after a ‘vicious and unprovoked attack’ with a bottle on a music producer at a London nightclub.
His vocal coach, Omololu Akinlolu, also pleaded guilty to affray. The pair will be sentenced later this year on October 26.
Judge Tony Baumgartner bailed Brown and Akinlolu to be sentenced on October 26 at Southwark Crown Court.
The judge set bail conditions that allow Brown to leave the UK but he must return on October 25, the day before his sentencing.
It comes three months after Brown pled guilty to affray after a ‘vicious and unprovoked attack’ with a bottle on a music producer at a London nightclub; seen in 2025 in London
Brown and Usher kicked off their R&B Tour back in June with a show in Denver; the music artists seen in January in Paris
Back in 2009, Brown admitted at Los Angeles Superior Court to one count of felony assault relating to an incident that occurred hours before he and Rihanna were due to perform at the Grammy Awards.
Brown and Usher kicked off their R&B Tour back in June with a show in Denver.
The pair’s next concert is scheduled for September 29 in Glendale, Arizona. The tour is slated to concluded on December 12 in Tampa, Florida.
On Friday, the duo took to the stage at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and rapper Kanye West made a surprise guest appearance amid the performance.