Too soon? Timothée Chalamet sparks debate with ‘SNL’ Jimmy Carter joke

Actor Timothée Chalamet is facing backlash after making a joke about the late former President Jimmy Carter on this past weekend's episode of Saturday Night Live.

Carter, loved and respected for his humanitarian work after his presidency, died on Dec. 29, 2024, at the age of 100 after spending almost two years in hospice care. He was the longest-living president in U.S. history. A state funeral was held on Jan. 9 at Washington National Cathedral and was attended by multiple world leaders, as well as Presidents Trump, Biden, Obama, Bush, and Clinton. Carter was then buried beside his beloved wife, Rosalynn Carter, in their hometown of Plains, Georgia.

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What we know:

Chalamet made the controversial joke during the "Bungee" skit, in which he played a fitness instructor leading a workout class.

In the skit, Chalamet tells the group to do the "Jimmy Carter," prompting everyone to pretend to hang lifelessly in their harnesses from the ceiling.

What they're saying:

Multiple groans could be heard among the laughter from the studio audience.

Viewers watching at home had mixed reactions, with many taking to social media to express their disapproval.

  • "Leave Jimmy Carter alone. That was in terrible taste."
  • "The skit was crazy funny, but the Jimmy Carter comment was truly in bad taste. Too soon? Way too soon!"
  • "Thought it was funny UNTIL the Jimmy Carter reference — not at all funny. The poor man just died after a long life showing compassion to others. SERIOUSLY — how would you feel about someone making a joke like this about a loved one who recently died? Crossed the line into not cool at all, IMHO. RIP Mr. Carter."
  • "I have a very dark sense of humor, but Jimmy Carter was a movingly good dude and didn’t deserve this — it didn’t even make much sense. I’d get this kind of joke if it was about someone who passed away a certain way, but this was just not fair and (even worse) just not funny."

However, not everyone disliked the joke. Some viewers praised the boldness of the humor, and one person even suggested that Carter, known for his sense of humor, might have laughed at it.

  • "DUDE, that Jimmy Carter joke was BOLD. I kind of feel bad about laughing."
  • "I didn’t expect SNL to make a Jimmy Carter joke after only a month, but as someone who will unapologetically start joking only 24 hours after something happens, I respect the guts."
  • "President Carter had a wonderful sense of humor and would have laughed himself at that joke. Lighten up and let go of the pearls, people."

Chalamet rose to fame in 2017 with notable roles in Hostiles, Lady Bird, and Call Me By Your Name. He has since starred in Beautiful Boy, A Rainy Day in New York, and Little Women.

Chalamet is currently nominated for Best Actor for his acclaimed role as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. It remains unclear if the controversy surrounding the skit will affect his chances of winning.

As of Monday morning, neither SNL nor Chalamet has publicly commented on the skit or the backlash.

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