SNL Parodies Celebrity Activism with Mock Ad for 'Teeny Tiny Statement Pins'

"Saturday Night Live" has taken aim at celebrities who wear small political pins on the red carpet to display their activism, with a mock ad for a new "red carpet accessory" called the Teeny Tiny Statement Pin.

"Saturday Night Live" has joined the chorus of critics mocking celebrities for wearing tiny political pins on the red carpet to display their activism. In a sketch that aired ahead of Monday's celebrity-packed Met Gala, the comedy show tackled this trend with its own mock ad for a new "red carpet accessory" called the Teeny Tiny Statement Pin.

The pin is so small, you need special glasses to be able to see it. "This way, not everyone has to be bombarded with my opinions, but if they want them, they can just zoom in — way, way, way, way in," SNL cast member Bowen Yang touts in the skit.

The show parodied political messages worn by celebrities like "Love is love," "Cease-fire now," and "Protect Democracy," with new ones reading "Free Ellen" and "We have the meats."

Celebrities who don't have a specific message in mind but still want to show they care about something can buy a pin from the company's "Vague Collection." "If you don't know what to say, but you want something that sounds like it could be important, then you'll love our new Vague Collection," the ad touts.

Examples include "a random flag that belongs to no country," "a cat and baby together that just says, ‘No,'" "It has to stop," and, "It has to start."

SNL's mock ad comes as celebrities increasingly use their platforms to speak out on social and political issues. In recent years, celebrities have worn pins on the red carpet to support everything from gun control to LGBTQ rights.

However, some critics have argued that these pins are often more about virtue signaling than making a real difference. "It's easy to wear a pin and pretend you care about something," one critic said. "But it's much harder to put in the work to actually make a change."

Others have argued that celebrities should stay out of politics altogether. "Celebrities should focus on entertaining us, not telling us what to think," one critic said.

The debate over celebrity activism is likely to continue as celebrities increasingly use their platforms to speak out on social and political issues. For now, though, SNL's mock ad provides a humorous take on the trend.

In addition to the sketch, SNL also featured a segment in which host Michael Che called for comedians to boycott awards shows hosting gigs. Che said that comedians "should boycott these things" because celebrities are too sensitive.

Che's comments come as comedians have increasingly been criticized for making jokes that are deemed offensive or insensitive. In recent months, comedians such as Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais have been accused of making transphobic and homophobic jokes.

Che's boycott call is unlikely to be heeded by all comedians, but it does reflect a growing frustration among some comedians with the current climate of political correctness.