SNL’s Sarah Sherman breaks silence on controversial ‘White Lotus’ sketch

Sarah Sherman has nothing but love for Aimee Lou Wood.

The Saturday Night Live star publicly addressed for the first time her controversial The White Lotus parody of Wood on the April 12 episode with host Jon Hamm, telling Vanity Fair in a new interview that she felt “terrible” for insulting the season 3 breakout.

“I was excited to play her because she’s so iconic, her character is so iconic, and I f—ing obviously never meant to hurt anyone’s feelings,” Sherman said. “Never in a million years did I get into comedy to make anyone upset. I feel terrible that anyone would feel bad.”

Titled “The White Potus,” the sketch in question spoofed the hit HBO show through a political lens, replacing the Ratliff family with President Donald Trump’s family and administration as they vacation at a Thailand resort. Sherman’s Wood, wearing some very pronounced prosthetic teeth, was notably one of only a couple of non-political figures in the sketch, leading many to question the inclusion.

Wood called the parody “mean” and “unfunny” on social media, positing that “there must be a cleverer, more nuanced” and “less cheap way” to poke fun. She would later share that there was no bad blood between her and Sherman, the latter of whom apologetically sent Wood flowers after the entire ordeal.

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Sherman spoke about that delicate balancing act of being in tune with pop culture while still remaining respectful. “Being in conversation with everything popular culture, there’s such a danger there,” she reflected to VF. “Sometimes you just don’t realize how it comes across, but you’re put in a position to be engaging with it all the time, because you are a part of a show that’s constantly interacting with culture and popular politics and popular whatever. As I get thrown more and more into the show, it’s just this other thing that I have to learn about.”

“The show is in constant dialogue with culture as it’s happening, and it happens really fast,” Sherman continued. “You have to be vigilant, you know what I mean? There are a lot of things out of your control. You’re playing a lot of different parts, you’re doing a lot of different roles that you’re not in control of. A lot of the process of the show has been, to me — how am I answering this? Staying vigilant but also being a part of the show — that is your job.”

Wood’s White Lotus costar Walton Goggins recently made his hosting debut on the May 10 episode with musical guest Arcade Fire. Host Scarlett Johansson and musical guest Bad Bunny are set to wrap up the show’s landmark 50th season on the upcoming May 17 episode.