NBC is receiving widespread criticism for a skit on “Saturday Night Live.”
Actor Pete Davidson mocked former Navy SEAL and Houston GOP Congressional candidate Dan Crenshaw, who lost an eye while fighting in Afghanistan. Davidson said, “This guy is kind of cool — Dan Crenshaw. You may be surprised to hear he’s a Congressional candidate from Texas and not a hitman in a porno movie. I’m sorry, I know he lost his eye in war, or whatever.”
Crenshaw was wounded by an IED during his third deployment in Afghanistan in 2012. Despite the permanent injury, Crenshaw served two more tours of duty in Afghanistan.
He’s running in Texas’ Second Congressional District for the seat being vacated by the retiring Ted Poe.
Crenshaw responded to the skit with a post on Facebook reading, “Good rule in life: I try not to offend; I try harder not to be offended. That being said, I hope @nbcsnl recognizes that vets don’t deserve to see their wounds used as punchlines for bad jokes.”
Others issued stronger condemnations, including Jack Pandol, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee. He released a statement which read in part, “Getting dumped by your pop star girlfriend is no excuse for lashing out at a decorated war hero who lost his eye serving our country.” Pandol was referring to Davidson’s breakup with pop singer Ariana Grande.
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush chimed in with a tweet reading, “@DanCrenshawTX is a war hero who has sacrificed so much for our country. Pete Davidson’s comments were abhorrent and SNL owes @DanCrenshawTX and all Veterans an apology.”
New York Republican Congressman Peter King, who was also mocked in the skit, called the Crenshaw comment a “disgrace” and called for Davidson to be fired from the show.