Editor’s Note: At the end of every year, we look at the most read stories over the previous 12 months. This story, published in late May, is the third most-read. It’s strange to read this story about older people getting their vaccinations first now–since the government is actually begging people to get their vaccinations these days and even the vaccinated are worried about Omicron. Remember when many of us were feeling smug and free to be vaccinated? Sigh.
***
Every Sunday, I check to see who Saturday Night Live has skewered the night before. I say Sunday morning, because like many good Baby Boomers, I don’t stay up late enough to see it live. Well, to my surprise, last night’s show took on people like me, Baby Boomers, who are getting the big chunk of COVID vaccinations.
The segment starts with Chris Redd singing:
Baby boomers, greatest generation
Got all the money, now we got the vaccination
Crashed the economy three whole times
And when it comes to the vax, we’re the first in line
The skit was shot like a typical rap video, with fish-eye lens, shaky cuts, and lots of “gangsta” hand signals thrown around. All the cast regulars get time in the spotlight. Kate McKinnon raps about booking a spot on the Diamond Princess now that she’s fully vaccinated, and she rhymes “cruise” with “booze,” to suggest we’re a bunch of hedonists now.
The line, “Me, I spend my time playing tennis/ Two things that don’t work: Me and my penis,” sung by Mikey Day, is one of many that takes digs at the older generation’s wealth and ease (with a dose of sexual insult thrown in). Maya Rudolph, an SNL alum, boasts about COVID not being able to touch her now and new freedom: “No mask in the store.”
Read More: The COVID Vaccine: A New Social Divide Between the Haves and the Have Nots
What? They Didn’t Get a Rhyme with CDC?
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than 39 million Americans age 65 and over have received at least one dose of the vaccine. More than 70 percent of the country’s seniors are fully vaccinated, according to the White House.
So should older adults apologize for that? I mean, we have certainly born the brunt of the pandemic. Eighty-one percent of COVID deaths are people 65 and older.
I don’t think we need to be sorry, but we shouldn’t gloat either, and I doubt any of us are smug at this point. We’re just happy to be alive and kicking and given some more years, and though younger people think we have plenty of money and leisure, time is the one thing no one can doubt we have less of.
What do you think of the skit?
Heather says
I found the SNL skit funny, and let’s be honest, spot on. If we as the older part of the population open our eyes and are honest with ourselves, we see that we’ve lived during the most prosperous times and now that we’re in our “golden years,” have the money and the time to relax and enjoy ourselves. In fact, perhaps many of us elders should have self quarantined because we didn’t have to go to work, and instead allowed the younger generations to get the vaccinations so that they can continue to work (get the economy going again!) and contribute to the tax base. Yes, the tax base that supports many of us elders. I find what is lacking in my older generation is empathy and compassion for the younger generations that have been given a bad rap one too many times. I think a huge amount of gratitude is due from my Boomer generation, – not whining about ‘comic relief’ coming from those that are suffering.
Jo Ann Slack says
I find the skit a bit stilted (although very funny) re. the boomer gen in that it only depicts the right wing nuts and not the liberals (ironically, during the ’60s and ’70s, only the protesting for social change “hippies” got the attention ignoring the fact that there were plenty of boomers out there who supported the war in Viet Nam and opposed the ERA or social change of any kind – remember, Nixon was reelected in ’72.) Besides, they got it wrong – the “Greatest Generation” belonged to my mom and dad’s gen (those born between 1901-1927).
Kim Dorfman says
Pretty sure the “Greatest Generation” was born after 1901-1927. I know both my parents were, by quite a bit. (1933 mother, 1930 father) What is the name for their generation ?
I also have issues with such a broad generalization of boomer years. Those who were in high school during the ’70s have very different specs than those graduating in the 60s.
I think those who graduated in ’74 (me) had more common experiences with
those who graduated ten years later, than with those who graduated ten years earlier… political and social discordance on so many fronts.
The draft ended when we were too young to even be concerned
I hate the application of labels to generations whose members span 20+ Years apart. They shift and ultimately become irrelevant.
My kids were born late 90s. Back then, they were labeled as millennials, having been born close to 2000. Now, the millennials are twice their age, given the shift to that label being applied to people who “came of age” around 2000.
Jo Ann says
Your parents were of the “Silent Generation” – those born from 1928 to 1945. And you are right that labeling generations of people (or people in general) tend to create bias, which we all need to guard against. And ironically the counter culture was initiated by those of the Silent Generation (think John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Gloria Steinem, Ken Kesey, Malcolm X, etc.) And – the majority of the Baby Boom Generation isn’t financially prepared for retirement according to an interesting blog post from “The Retirement Manifesto” entitled “Are Baby Boomers’ Retirement Doomed”. Look it up. It’s a great read.
Anne says
Very offensive skit. I am on the tail-end of the boomer generation but my state is WAAAAAAY behind vaccinating people. What was especially distressing is reading comments on YouTube from younger people who apparently hate the boomer generation, assuming we are all rolling in dough, never had a student loan, and own multiple homes (or even a single home). I am beginning to think society is ginning up hatred for the elderly, to start carting us off to camps….er…I mean nursing homes, and snuffing us out with morphine. Really and truly. The video is a hate video.
Anne says
Also, forgot to add–I am waiting to get a doctor’s sanction to confirm my health condition, and so won’t be putting myself on my state’s list any time soon. Meantime, I am a sitting duck for the virus.A
Lydia says
I found this skit very insulting. All groups of people have individuals who are greedy, selfish, lazy, hoarding and loathsome. Although I realize applying stereotypes is what SNL does best, this time the insults were rapid fire, all encompassing and hateful. All three of my millennial daughters got vaccinated before me and I was glad they did. Come on SNL and millennials give us a break. Stereotypes aren’t nice for any group of human beings.