In a recent conversation I had New York Times Along with his longtime friend Harper Steele, Will Ferrell created an iconic Saturday Night Live A character he “would rather not do now.” Ferrell and Steele are promoting their upcoming Netflix documentary. Will and Harper.
Ferrell referenced Janet Reno, the first female attorney general of the United States, in a recurring sketch called “Janet Reno's Dance Party” that first aired during the 1997–98 season. A parody of then-popular MTV countdown shows, the segments featured Reno hosting '90s teens at a basement mosh pit-turned-fight club. These were some of Ferrell's most remembered sketches during his tenure, but he feels they have not stood the test of time like some of his other characters.
Later Times Noting that the character of Janet Reno is “hitting a false note right now,” Ferrell admitted, “I wouldn’t choose to do this right now.” Announcer The star admitted that there were “quite a few” sketches she participated in during her time in office. SNL “where you will regret your choice.”
Steele, who came out as transgender 30 years after his friendship with Ferrell, admitted that his friend's drag performance in the Janet Reno sketches “made me a little upset.”
But Steele added that the issue is complicated by the comedy. “I understand that the laugh is a drag laugh. ‘Hey, look at that guy in the dress, that’s funny.’ It’s definitely not funny. It’s definitely the way we have to be able to live in the world,” he said. “But I love the sense of a play with the performers and the actors.”
The primary joke of the skit portrays Reno as an overly masculine, aggressive, and frequently violent figure who berates young women. The incredibly complex skit inevitably culminates in Reno physically fighting a political rival. As Ferrell notes, tastes have changed over time.
Later in his conversation with him New York TimesFerrell jokingly tried to evade blame for some of the more objectionable sketches. “So, in a way, actors — you're kind of given a task,” he said. “So I'm going to blame the writers.”
Will and Harper It begins streaming on Netflix on September 27.