Former Nintendo public relations managers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang have revealed that the company was reportedly unhappy with a 2021 Saturday Night Live sketch featuring Elon Musk as the character Wario.
In the sketch, Musk played Wario in a courtroom setting where the character was accused of murdering Mario. The segment included mature themes and jokes that were described as “uncomfortable” for Nintendo, given the company’s family-friendly brand. The two former employees noted that the sketch was poorly received internally and felt oddly timed as there was no related Nintendo product launch at the time.
Despite their dissatisfaction, Nintendo could not pursue legal action against the sketch due to fair use protections under United States copyright law.
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Elon Musk · Kit Ellis · Krysta Yang · Nintendo · Saturday Night Live