Amy Schumer’s popularity has recently skyrocketed at a rate most comedians could only ever dream of achieving. Her Comedy Central sketch show Inside Amy Schumer has received enthusiastic praise from critics for its intelligent, thought-provoking satire, earning its first Primetime Emmy Award last month. She has also made the successful leap into movies, with her film Trainwreck getting equally rave reviews.
It seemed like only a matter of time, therefore, until the young comic actress was asked to host the long-running variety show Saturday Night Live. Schumer used her appearance on the show partly as a chance to speak out on the topic of gun control, satirising gun-loving citizens in an ironically sentimental skit.
The skit shows a romanticised, idyllic world where guns are shown to be the glue that holds everyone together, allowing people to connect with each other and love life. From a grandfather and his grandson to a young man and woman going on their first date, guns are seen to form and strengthen these relationships. It is done in the style of a cheesy public service announcement, complete with an annoyingly smug voice-over.
Schumer has become somewhat of a spokeswoman for tighter gun control laws since a gunman in Louisianna opened fire at the audience during a screening of Trainwreck in July, killing two. In response to this, Schumer joined her cousin, Senator Chuck Schumer, at a conference calling for stricter background checks on those who wish to purchase such weapons: “Preventing dangerous people from getting guns is very possible. We have common sense solutions. We can toughen background checks and stop the sale of firearms to folks who have a violent history or a history of mental illness“.
The debate on gun control remains widely controversial in the US, one look at the video’s YouTube comment section will show you that. Some view it as a commendable call to action while others see it as liberal propaganda. In the wake of the several mass shootings in recent years, as well as President Obama recently expressing exasperation at the amount of gun crime, it does seem as though those against guns are beginning to get their voices heard more and more. You can watch the skit below.
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