SNL UK kicked off its Sept. 19 show with a cold open that put Ed Sheeran right in the crosshairs. In a sketch about an AI uprising, a parody version of the pop star refuses to take sides, joking that he doesn’t want to alienate any fans,“humans or robots,”before the show takes a swipe at ticket scalping bots. It was a brutal and very funny takedown, and it landed during an already messy week for Sheeran’s camp.
The real drama centers on his Loop Tour. Opener Macklemore was removed from the tour after calling for a“free Palestine”during a set. That decision ignited a firestorm online, with fans and critics arguing over free speech, artist accountability, and what a tour should stand for.
On Saturday night in Philadelphia, Sheeran finally addressed it all. He called the situation in Gaza“catastrophic, unjustifiable, and disproportionate,”apologized for mistakes, and said he is listening and learning. The moment sparked a fresh wave of debate about whether neutrality is possible for an artist at his level. So where do you land? Should he have taken a clearer stand from the start?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.