Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Sinéad O'Connor, SNL Performance: "War" (1992)


Who/What: This is a performance by Sinéad O'Connor on SNL. She performed two songs; the second of which was a cover of Bob Marley's "War." The Bob Marley lyrics include a speech to the UN General Assembly by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie on October 4, 1963. O'Connor changed the lyrics to focus on child-abuse instead of the struggles of African countries. At the end of her performance, she ripped a picture of Pope John Paul II. It was an act of protest to the lack of consequences to Catholic priests who molested children.

Where: The performance was broadcasted on live national television from NBC Studios in New York City on the popular sketch show, Saturday Night Live.

When: O'Connor's performance took place on October 3, 1992. It was the 328th episode, or Season 18: Episode 2, of NBC's Saturday Night Live.

Why (is it interesting/relevant): It was a surprising move because SNL is a comedy show. It is meant to be light entertainment, and Sinéad O'Connor brought a serious issue and did something highly controversial.

No comments:

Post a Comment