'SNL' addressed the controversy surrounding the Aziz Ansari sexual misconduct allegation in a darkly funny skit

NBC

"Saturday Night Live."

• "SNL" addressed the Aziz Ansari sexual misconduct allegation and the surrounding controversy in the form of an uncomfortable dinner party conversation. 
• A woman accused Ansari of sexual misconduct in a story with Babe.net earlier this month, but many criticized aspects of the story's reporting, including a New York Times op-ed that defended Ansari. 
• The darkly funny sketch satirizes the difficulty of discussing the subject.

"Saturday Night Live" tackled the tricky conversation surrounding the recent Aziz Ansari sexual misconduct allegation in a darkly funny sketch of a dinner party conversation.

In the sketch, when cast member Heidi Gardner asks the table if anyone has read a New York Times op-ed about Ansari, it elicits a series of uncomfortable responses that satirize the difficulty of discussing the topic. 

Earlier this month, an anonymous woman accused Ansari of sexual misconduct in a story with Babe.net. The woman, a 23-year-old photographer, told Babe that after an encounter with Ansari she "felt violated," and described it as "sexual assault." Ansari said in a statement that from his point of view all indications were that the encounter was "completely consensual."

Many criticized aspects of the reporting of the story, including a New York Times op-ed that defended Ansari explicitly, and the piece sparked the first substantive and mainstream public debate of the topic since the #MeToo movement gained prominence.

In the sketch, the restaurant darkens and ominous horror music plays as the topic of Ansari comes up. Then the cast members proceed to make hesitant remarks on the subject, before another interrupts to keep them from going too far. 

"While I applaud the movement …" Kenan Thompson begins to discuss the #MeToo movement, to which Gardner quickly warns him, "Watch it." 

Watch the sketch below: