Saturday Night Live accused of stealing comedy sketch


Most comedians would be thrilled to see their work end up on Saturday Night Live — but only if they ended up getting credit for it. Kimberly Condict and Vanessa Ragland, who perform with the improv comedy company The Groundlings, have alleged that SNL "lifted" the premise from one of their sketches during its most recent episode.
Last Saturday's SNL featured a sketch in which Sasheer Zamata, Cecily Strong, and guest Sarah Silverman performed as "The River Sisters," a trio of hard-luck performers on a Nebraska riverboat cruise. (You can watch the SNL sketch, via DropShots, here.) The problem? The sketch bears a distinct resemblance to a sketch written and performed by Condict and Ragland in the Groundlings' Sunday Company:
Both sketches feature women, wearing near-identical Tina Turner costumes, performing a version of "Proud Mary" while expounding on the more depressing aspects of their lives. Condict and Ragland took to Twitter to complain, and invited comedy fans to compare their original sketch to the sketch that appeared on SNL:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Reached for comment by The Week, a source close to Saturday Night Live said that any similarity between the two sketches was coincidental. "It's a common idea, since Tina Turner is such an iconic figure," said the source. "The similarities represent parallel thinking in the comedy world."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.
-
'Self-segregation by political affiliation is spreading'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
7 places across the country to experience the best of summer drinking
The Week Recommends Stops include a Basque-inspired spot and a bar where the menu overhauls twice a year
-
Amazon's robotaxi looks to be Waymo's biggest competitor
In the Spotlight The company recently opened a new robotaxi production plant in California
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read