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Former Nintendo public relations managers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang recently disclosed that the company was unhappy with a 2021 Saturday Night Live sketch featuring Elon Musk as Wario. The skit, which depicted the character on trial for murdering Mario, was reportedly not well-received by the gaming giant.
The former employees noted that the sketch was not beloved by the organization. Ellis highlighted that the timing was strange, as no new Wario product was being promoted at the time. Furthermore, the content crossed into uncomfortable territory for the company, which maintains a family-friendly image.
The sketch included controversial jokes involving Mario using cocaine and Luigi engaging in sexual activity with Princess Peach. It even featured a censored visual of Luigi's genitalia, which likely contributed to the negative internal reaction regarding the portrayal of their intellectual properties.
This discussion followed a more recent SNL sketch comparing The Legend of Zelda and GTA 6. While that segment also received mixed online reactions, Ellis and Yang suggested it was likely better received by Nintendo than the 2021 Musk appearance.
