When "SNL" mocks Lance Armstrong or any other celebrity, the cast doesn't pull any punches. Even so, it seems like the long-running live comedy sketch show may have pushed the boundaries of good taste when they wrote Armstrong's cancer into one of their punch lines. According to Hollywood Reporter, cancer was just one of the topics of ridicule on Sat., Jan. 19, 2013.
Of course, the fact that the disgraced cyclist finally admitted to doping, to the queen of daytime television talk shows Oprah Winfrey no less, made the perfect fodder for "SNL" to mock Lance Armstrong. However, the topic of cancer didn't necessarily add to the comedy sketch.
Jason Sudeikis, portraying Armstrong, yelled at Taran Killam, who was playing Piers Morgan then said, "A lot of the reason I just yelled was because of the cancer I had, which is not an excuse, unless you think it is." The problem with the line is that cancer isn't funny. The cyclist was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996. It had spread to his brain, lungs and abdomen, but he survived with treatment. Armstrong has been cancer-free since 1997.
The U.S. Anti-Drug Agency (USADA) banned the disgraced cyclist from the sport of cycling for life after he decided to stop fighting doping charges that had been brought against him. In addition, that ban extends to sports besides cycling. Banned athletes cannot enter any races that are sanctioned by USA Track & Field. They also cannot compete in any sports that are governed by federations that are signatories to the World Anti-Doping Code.
Comments