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In the aftermath of the controversial Saturday Night Live skit, The White POTUS, which mocked Aimee Lou Wood’s character Chelsea from The White Lotus season 3, Sarah Sherman made a thoughtful gesture by sending Wood a bouquet of pink and orange flowers. This act of kindness appeared to be Sherman’s way of showing goodwill and possibly apologizing to Wood for the skit, which had caused some upset.
Wood took to her Instagram story to express her gratitude, sharing a photo of the bouquet and writing, “Thank you for the beautiful flowers, Sarah Sherman.” This came after Wood had publicly criticized the SNL sketch, which she felt mocked her character’s teeth and British accent. She described the skit as “unfunny and mean,” and expressed that while parody is part of the show’s nature, there should be a more thoughtful, nuanced approach to humor. She added, “Yes, take the piss for sure—that’s what the show is about—but there must be a cleverer, more nuanced, less cheap way?”
Despite the skit’s negative reception, Wood clarified that her issue was with the concept rather than with Sherman personally. She shared that she received an apology from the show, but made it clear that she wasn’t “hating on” Sherman, just the portrayal of her character in the sketch.
The controversy stirred up significant online discussion, with fans and netizens weighing in on the nature of the parody and its impact. In the SNL sketch, Sherman portrayed a version of Wood’s character, and it also featured a host of other celebrities, including James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump and Chloe Fineman as Melania Trump. The parody, while part of the show’s usual satirical humor, became a focal point of debate after Wood’s response.
Sherman’s gesture of sending flowers likely aimed to smooth over the situation, showing that she took Wood’s concerns seriously and wanted to show appreciation for her as an actress despite the tension created by the skit.