Saturday night, viewers tuned into Saturday Night Live to see host Dave Chappelle‘s monologue. They expressed a desire to see how he would address the political climate and multiple news outlets projecting Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election. However, they first had to sit through the final moments of a high-profile football game. The Clemson Tigers played the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a close game that went into double overtime. Notre Dame secured a 47-40 win, knocking Clemson out of its No. 1 overall spot.
When the viewers heard about the delay, they expressed anger. They criticized NBC and the two football teams that couldn’t beat each other until long after regulation ended for the delay. Many Twitter users were angry overall while proclaiming that they don’t care about football, but some took a different approach. There were several jokes about SNL using a game as its cold open.
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this snl football opening sketch doesn’t make sense but i’ma give it a chance
โ Desus Nice (@desusnice) November 8, 2020
Oh good lord! This football game! #SNL pic.twitter.com/dZdVcHDxly
โ Joe Blevins (@Joe_A_Blevins) November 8, 2020
There were severalย SNL fans expressing irritation on Saturday evening due to the football game delaying Chappelle’s monologue. They did not have a preference about whether the Tigers or Fighting Irish won; these fans just wanted the game to finally come to an end. Although one person did embrace the delay and used it as an opportunity to make some jokes about the long-running sketch comedy series.
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Iโve never hated football more, this should be SNL. ๐ญ๐ญ pic.twitter.com/DaEVmeMAxc
โ Bex (@talkingincode) November 8, 2020
SNL fans watching this football game like: pic.twitter.com/uhzozkH0QW
โ That Week In SNL (@ThatWeekInSNL) November 8, 2020
There are certainly manyย SNLย fans that also watch football and root for college and professional teams alike. However, they were in the minority on Saturday night amid the Clemson-Notre Dame delay. The vocal users on social media strongly proclaimed that they “really hate” football, especially when the sport delaysย SNL’sย start time and the opening monologue from a longtime standup comedian.ย
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Me watching this football game go into a 2nd overtime when all i want to watch is #SNL pic.twitter.com/7YypbU1XEG
โ รฉlan (@BeautyFlawed_) November 8, 2020
Dear @nbc
โ Kelly Geistler (@AHybridQuest) November 8, 2020
No one cares about this football game as much as they care about #DaveChappelle #SNL
While many Twitter users repeatedly voiced their irritation about the football game delayingย SNL,ย others had to use memes and still photos of various celebrities. They couldn’t properly convey their rage with text and had to take a different approach on Saturday night. Regardless of their photo selection, these Twitter users still showcased their anger.
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I need this dumb ass football game to end in the next 5 minutes so I can watch SNL in peace
โ jess (@holtzquinn) November 8, 2020
get this football game off the screen I want SNL pic.twitter.com/O8OeL7Bo19
โ lydia (@lydthegemini) November 8, 2020
There were several reactions to theย SNLย delay on NBC. Some people just expressed sadness about having to wait extra time for Chappelle’s monologue. Others, however, proclaimed that they were truly outraged about having to watch the final stages of Clemson vs. Notre Dame. They repeatedly made this point while expressing their opinions about the sport of football.ย
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I really don’t care about football. Can this damn game end so SNL can start. pic.twitter.com/6ZtT65ZRMK
โ Holls ๐ป (@Hollysaysrawrr) November 8, 2020
Millions tuning into SNL will be introduced to the majesty of college football replay reviews. Canโt buy that kind of publicity.
โ Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) November 8, 2020
Theย Twitter users only wanting to watchย SNL and Chappelle’s monologue loudly proclaimed that they were unhappy about the double overtime on Saturday night and the subsequent delay. Football fans, however, viewed the situation in a different way. They expressed excitement about new viewers tuning in and seeing the bizarre nature of college football’s overtime rules and replay reviews.ย
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Goes to watch #SNL and thereโs football on. pic.twitter.com/zob4kMXp4z
โ Gail Osborne๐คจ๐ฅดโ๏ธ๐ก (@gkosborne) November 8, 2020
Iโm Tryna watch snl but college football is still on smh pic.twitter.com/k1LREuvkQr
โ 12 Ball (@12Ball2) November 8, 2020
More and more memes surfaced on social media Saturday night asย SNLย fans tuned in to NBC. They used these photos and animated Gifs as methods to showcase their anger about the football game, the double-overtime and its effect on the TV schedule. The SNL viewers did not hold back with their criticism while discussing the disruption and the fact that NBC also aired a 30-minute news segment, increasing the delay.ย
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I need to know when SNL starts (it’ll start 30 mins after the game ends) bc I’m so not sitting through football and news. Lol
โ jax โ๏ธ (@jaxbra) November 8, 2020
@nbcsnl been waiting for THIS episode of #SNL for 4 YEARS. And now… I’m stuck watching college football??? ๐ฅ pic.twitter.com/RcNOrvQ05V
โ John Edward ‘Skip’ Bayless Jr. (@AngusEnol) November 8, 2020
There was a very long waiting period for manyย SNLย fans. Yes, the delay on Saturday night pushed the show’s start time back, but that was not the only waiting period. These viewers also proclaimed that they had waited for this specific episode since the moment President Donald Trump originally took office.ย