'SNL' Host Saoirse Ronan Faces Backlash Over 'Offensive' Stereotype in Sketch

Saoirse Ronan took some heat for the Aer Lingus sketch on 'Saturday Night Live' last week.Ronan [...]

Saoirse Ronan took some heat for the Aer Lingus sketch on "Saturday Night Live" last week.

Ronan says she specifically asked that the show include one "Irish" sketch while she hosted, but it's the Irish people themselves who are voicing their distaste at the stereotypes in the scene.

The sketch features Ronan and Cecily Strong as stewardesses on Aer Lingus, a premier Irish airline. It features jokes about potatoes, Oscar Wilde and excessive amounts of pet dogs, as well as the obvious jab at the airline's name. The laughter of the live audience is sparse, and people online arguing about whether or not it's offensive all seem to agree that it wasn't the show's funniest moment.

Ronan appeared on the Late Late Show in Ireland this week, and responded to the controversy.

"I am not anti-Aer Lingus! I collect my points," Ronan joked. "and I eat 'tato," she later added.

Still, for many viewers in Ireland, it wasn't enough.

Others responded as well, saying that the sketch wasn't offensive, but that taking offense from it cast a bad light on Ireland itself.


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