Photo Credit: Getty Images
In an unusual move for an SNL cast member, Chloe Fineman publicly shared an experience with guest host Elon Musk, claiming he was dismissive of her sketch idea, making her feel humiliated. Fineman posted a TikTok video describing the moment, following Musk's recent criticism of SNL sketches featuring him and former president Donald Trump.
The story began when Fineman's fellow SNL cast member, Bowen Yang, appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. During a game called "Truth or Kink," Cohen asked Yang to describe the worst behavior he'd witnessed from an SNL host. Without naming names, Yang revealed that one host had upset multiple cast members during the show's preparations, causing several of them to cry after harshly rejecting sketch ideas. While Yang kept the host's identity secret, fan speculation quickly spread online. Fineman's recent TikTok seemed to confirm that Musk was the host in question and that she was among the cast members affected.
In the now-deleted TikTok, Fineman opened up about her encounter with Musk, saying, "I'm the cast member he made cry." She recounted spending extra time writing a sketch, thrilled to pitch it to Musk, only to be met with a cold reaction. According to Fineman, Musk looked at her and bluntly said, "It's not funny," comparing his expression to someone firing her from Tesla. She described Musk flipping through her script with disinterest, saying he didn't find anything in it amusing. Fineman noted, "I waited for you to be like, 'Ha ha, jk,' but you weren't joking."
The sketch, titled The Oooli Show, still made it to air during Musk's SNL episode, with Fineman playing an Icelandic social media star and Musk as a stoic producer. Despite Musk's initial reaction, the sketch went smoothly, and Fineman admitted she enjoyed working with him in the scene. However, she voiced frustration over his lack of courtesy, adding, "Have a little manners here...sir."
Fineman posted the TikTok on Monday, where it stayed live for several hours before she took it down. Neither Fineman nor Musk has commented further on the incident since, leaving fans with lingering questions about Musk's behavior on set. The Hollywood Reporter reached out to representatives for both Fineman and Musk for additional information.
