Cecily Strong of 'SNL' sends up white women calling the police in Instagram video
If you’ve spent any time on the internet lately, you’ve probably seen a slew of videos of people calling the police on other people for seemingly silly reasons. There’s “BBQ Becky,” the woman in Oakland, Calif., who called the police on a man using a grill in the park. And just this weekend, a woman was filmed supposedly calling the police on a non-white little girl selling bottled water on her stoop near Giants stadium. “Permit Patty” claimed the girl didn’t have a permit to sell water, and wanted her to stop.
There are a few common themes to these situations. The caller is usually a white woman. The people they are reporting to the police are usually not white. And they try to hide when they realize they’re being filmed.
Saturday Night Live cast member Cecily Strong and fellow comedian Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola sent up the phenomenon, making a “biopic” they both shared on their Instagram. It’s hilarious.
@rashidasheedz and I made a biopic tonight #permitpatty
A post shared by Cecily Strong (@cecilystrong) on Jun 23, 2018 at 7:12pm PDT
In the short video, Olayiwola films Strong, wearing a blond wig, calling the police on a black dog drinking water, and on flowers for using water, all while trying to hide her face — and hiding under a coffee table. She perfectly captures the nervous mannerisms of the women in the viral videos. On Olayiwola’s Instagram, she asks, “Why you so pressed? Because we’re living?”
Strong’s fans loved the video, and the comments were overwhelmingly positive.
“Bahaha seriously. Thanks for sharing. Needed the laugh,” one wrote.
Another wrote, “Hahahaha. Love this. Also why can’t people see how absurd this kind of real behavior is. #racismsucks”
The send-up is a good reminder to pause and think before calling the police on people who are just living their lives. Why waste police time on children selling water that could be used to pursue real criminals?
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