Overview
- Kam Patterson appeared as Severus Snape on Saturday’s SNL Weekend Update, spoofing HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series and the recent trailer.
- In character, Patterson’s Snape labeled Harry “the Proud Boy Who Lived” and joked that the student spent the year accusing the school’s only Black teacher of being secretly evil.
- The bit mocked J.K. Rowling’s choices, pointing to the Black wizard named Kingsley Shacklebolt and to house elves as a stand‑in for sanctioned slavery in the wizarding world.
- The sketch follows weeks of “Black Snape” memes on X and fresh attention to Paapa Essiedu’s casting, which the actor said drew racist abuse and death threats in comments to The Times.
- Commentary highlighted by ComicBook.com argues the reboot may need sensitivity‑minded tweaks to Rowling’s material as HBO presses ahead with production.