‘Welcome To Hell’: ‘Saturday Night Live’ Ushers Men Into 2018
Image of a woman reporting her rape to police officers Image by iStock
Next time you hear a man complaining that in light of the recent spate of sexual assault allegations he is feeling afraid of how he should behave, whom he can trust, or in doubt about our justice system, just quiet him with a few bars of “Welcome to Hell.”
The creepy all-girl pop anthem that debuted on “Saturday Night Live” this past weekend describes hell: a place where people live in constant terror, trust no one, and know that they’ll have zero recourse for violent crimes. They’re singing about life as a woman! (Also known as hell.)
Life has always been dangerous and unfair, the women of SNL sing. Only now, men are getting a little taste of this “button-under-the-desk-bad” world. Host Saoirse Ronan, promoting Greta Gerwig’s acclaimed film “Lady Bird,” sings about the run-of-the-mill horror show of life as a person who could become prey at any moment: “Now ‘House of Cards’ is ruined, and that really sucks! Now here’s a list of stuff that’s ruined for us: parking, and walking, and Uber and ponytails! Bathrobes and nighttime and drinking and nighttime and vans!”
Catchy! I know what I’ll be humming to distract myself the next time a strange man on the subway pushes his warm thigh against my leg.
Jenny Singer is a writer for the Forward. You can reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter, @jeanvaljenny
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
That’s why I’m paying it Forward, by matching $36,000 of reader gifts. It’s an investment in the Forward’s newsroom, to continue telling the American Jewish story with truth and independence.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
