Did SNL clone this clown sketch? | Viewers spot similarities with a Tig Notaro film

Did SNL clone this clown sketch?

Viewers spot similarities with a Tig Notaro film

Viewers have called out Saturday Night Live for airing a sketch that bears close similarities to a Tog Notaro short film.

On last weekend's show, a skit showed host Louis CK ordering a clown, played by Bobby Moynahan, to come and perform just for him, at his own birthday party.

However Notaro's fans took to Twitter to point out that the premise is nearly identical to a short film she wrote, and directed entitled Clown Service, in which she, too, orders a clown to perform just for her to ease her depression.

Viewer Joe Rhodes tweeted: 'If Tig Notaro didn't sign off on this Louie CK and SNL have a LOT of explaining to do.'

And Cythnia Hall added: 'What's with Louie CK doing Tig's clown bit on @nbcsnl? Straight up rip-off.'

CK and Notaro are friends. It was Louis who released her groundbreaking stand-up set when she revealed she had breast cancer, and he went on to be an executive producer on Notaro's Amazon Prime series One Mississippi.

And to make the situation even more curious, Notaro re-released Clown Service less than 24 hours after the CK version aired on Saturday Night Live

Published: 11 Apr 2017

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