Ex-Nintendo employees reveal how company reacted to Elon Musk's SNL Wario skit
Nintendo has always been protective over its intellectual property, so when Elon Musk showed up in a Wario suit on Saturday Night Live the company was understandably taken aback, with two former employees revealing the internal reaction back in 2021.
While Elon Musk has in the last few years made it clear that he isn't the biggest fan of SNL – as the show has, on a number of occasions, directly parodied him during his time in the White House – he did host the late night TV show back in May 2021.
Many have viewed his opening monologue as a sign of how dramatically his public reception has changed over the last decade, yet concerning behind-the-scenes allegations from that very episode don't exactly paint him in the best light.
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What has remained memorable from his appearance though is a skit that saw Musk don a Wario costume, as he was on trial after being accused of murdering Mario — and all of this happened seemingly without Nintendo's knowledge.
How did Nintendo react to Musk's Wario SNL skit?
YouTubers Kit & Krysta are notable for sharing stories from their time working at Nintendo for over a decade – even going as far to call themselves 'true Nintendo insiders' – and they made it clear that the company wasn't too pleased with Musk's SNL skit.
"[Nintendo] did not like that Elon Musk [skit]," the pair revealed. "So, we were there at Nintendo for that. That did not go over well. That was not beloved by the people at Nintendo."
They explained that part of the issue came from the fact that the 'parody' arrived out of left field, with no Wario game or anniversary to prompt a parody in the first place, unlike a recent skit that pitted Ocarina of Time against GTA 6 considering the close release dates of the two next month.
The pair also indicated that the subject matter of the skit – which involved a murder trial – was 'uncomfortable' for Nintendo considering the family-friendly focus of the company.
"It's interesting the way these things get perceived," Kit indicated. "Again, Nintendo has nothing to do with these [skits]. If you like it though, it's like, 'Oh look at this amazing thing. This is due to our ongoing efforts with the team', like you try and claim the credit for it, but if it's one that you don't like, it's like, 'well, this happened but you know, we had nothing to do with it'."
Has Elon Musk been on SNL since?
While Elon Musk has 'appeared' on SNL in the form of parody in the past few years with Mike Myers taking on the role, the world's richest man has stayed well clear of the NBC show, choosing instead to frequently post about it on his social media channels.
That May 2021 episode is the only time he's ever been directly involved in the show, and it would likely take a significant change in Musk's opinion of the show, his public perception and political associations, and the show's directive for him to appear once again.
Don't be surprised if Myers puts on a MAGA hat once again to parody Musk now that he appears to be closely involved in politics, and it's just as likely that we'll see an inflammatory reaction on X from the man himself if that were to happen.