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Why Has NBC Scrubbed Saturday Night Live’s Hit Anti-Hugo Chavez Skit?

Mar. 11, 2013 11:53am Jonathon M. Seidl

If you’ve been trying to watch Justin Timberlake’s mock musical eulogy of Hugo Chavez from Saturday’s “Saturday Night Live” (SNL), good luck. That’s because the skit that was the show’s opening number has been scrubbed from all online episodes of the show, including NBC.com’s SNL page and even popular TV-watching sites like Hulu.

The skit, which was the “cold open” and featured the popular line “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”, was praised as a funny but accurate depiction of the now-deceased Venezuelan dictator. It featured host Justin Timberlake singing a spoof of Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind.”

But instead of viewers and fans being able to enjoy the performance, this is what you see when you try to watch it on Hulu (an ad and then a cut right to the opening credits — no opening skit):

But here’s how the show actually opened:

Equally interesting is that all copies of it on YouTube are disappearing, too. The question remains: Why? Some commenters on the Hulu page have speculated it was too “political”:

But fans aren’t the only ones speculating that politics was involved. Music industry expert Nikki Marshall, who teaches classes on copyright issues through her “Life of a Copyright” series and owns a company that specializes in media rights and clearances, told TheBlaze this situation sounds like a music publisher pulling some of the rights to its tunes.

“What I assume is they [SNL] probably got clearance to use the music for television, but the publisher thought because it was political they didn’t want to give clearance for online play,” she explained.

According to Marshall, publishers will make such requests from time to time. But how does that fall in line with previous case law that says artists are allowed to make parodies under “fair use”?

“This is where the law gets a little gray,” she said. While technically NBC could have fought the request, the reality is SNL is a show with a lot of music and has to deal with music publishers all the time. Since there are only about five major companies, fighting one of them on such a request could be trouble in the future.

“They don’t want to burn any bridges with the publisher,” she said, adding that the publisher has probably made a similar request regarding YouTube clips, which have been disappearing.

As for the show, despite the attempts to scrub the opening there were plenty of people who saw it anyway. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Saturday’s episode was the show’s highest-rated in 14 months.

We reached out to NBC but did not receive comment. We also reached out to the music publisher, Universal, but have yet to hear back.

This story has been updated.

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Comments (97)

BlasberryStrat
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 1:17pm
Timberlake looks like “Forman” on ‘That 70′s Show’.

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- Secret Squirrel
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 1:53pm
  Too political?
  How many skits featuring Tina Fey mocking Sara Palin did SNL gladly run?
  Commies.
  
  Report this comment
- term limits for congress
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 2:00pm
  Timberlake is funny. Fox or TheBlaze should hire him for a comedy show.
  
  Report this comment
- The_Jerk
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 2:03pm
  Cultural changers hard at work.
  
  Report this comment
- jcldwl
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 2:35pm
  How about the attack against Jesus they recently aired. Who cares about SNL. If you still watch that show it proves one thing. You are brain dead and never mentally aged past the age of 16.
  
  Report this comment
- The_Jerk
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 2:52pm
  Jcldwl, if you do not know who is behind the cultural changing and tradition destroying show, you too are brain dead.
  
  Report this comment
- JohnnyinthePedros
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:12pm
  Nicely
  Blowing
  Chavez
  
  Report this comment
- JohnnyinthePedros
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:21pm
  Oh yeah, he’s dead. Change Nicely to Necrophiliacs.
  
  Report this comment
- rosegrower
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:41pm
  The_Jerk
  I know who you mean ……. Lorne Michaels is CANADIAN! Those pesky Canucks are always stirring up something, aren’t they?
  
  Report this comment
- desertspeaks
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:01pm
  it was EDITED out of nbc dot com FULL EPISODE stream as well! nothing to see here, move along!
  fricking communists !
  
  Report this comment
- dtrent387
  Posted on March 12, 2013 at 6:50am
  i was thinking the same thing. but it was a funny skit. At least they weren’t praising him they were making fun of him and some of the stupid things he did. i doubt this but hopefully now the venezuelan ppl can actually elect who they want and not have an voter fraud
  
  Report this comment
- TROONORTH
  Posted on March 12, 2013 at 10:33am
  Rosegrower – Don’t make us send Bill Shatner down there! Oh, wait . . … . . … .
  
  Report this comment
- redfish52
  Posted on March 12, 2013 at 10:35am
  This was because one of two thing’s….either Elton or Obama got their panties in a wad after seeing it.
  
  Report this comment
iamnotu
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 1:07pm
ABC scrubbed it from the internet because the owners are socialist pigs just like jawfuz. All these rich people all love the idea of a socialist society because then not only would they have money they would have power because of it. Now though, all they have is money. The only power they have is lying and stopping the funny truth.

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- 9mm
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 1:25pm
  ABC – do you mean NBC !!!??
  
  Report this comment
- The_Jerk
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 1:34pm
  They are the cultural changers and tradition destroyers at work.
  
  Report this comment
JediKnight
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:58pm
The Internet is forever. There’s still at least one recording on YouTube (which I’ve just downloaded).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwS-nqx8YbU

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- PK_SEA
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 2:17pm
  That youtube video has been pulled.
  
  Report this comment
- Alorian
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:43pm
  @jediknight you should email me a copy, and find me @alorian49 on twitter
  
  Report this comment
- whatahka
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 7:25pm
  Looks like NBC pulled the Jedi Mind-trick.
  
  Report this comment
NILAP
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:45pm
The beloved Hugo Chavez more than anyone since Princess Diana truly deserves an Elton John tribute. Why the outrage?

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- ahberns
  Posted on March 12, 2013 at 2:42pm
  You need to go play with Sean Penn and the other socialists and leave the country to the patriots. You guys can go live in Venezuela or Iran or Russia or even better Syria maybe a bomb will fall on you and you can be martyrs. Viva the loosers
  
  Report this comment
truthnstuff
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:39pm
The heel with the PC media. Boycott them and maybe they’ll go away.

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MarvinMr
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:37pm
Really? Can’t do that to Chavez? They make fun of politicians all the time…

So if you try and watch that video, does it redirect you to the one making fun of Jesus?

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EBL
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:31pm
It is a funny skit. Well at least Hugo Chavez will be Immortalized through the wonders of Leninesque taxidermy/embalmment!

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- TEARS FOR AMERICA
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 6:26pm
  Eeeewwwww….just the thought of a pickled Hugo is nauseating…
  
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PK_SEA
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:30pm
Goodbye, Hugo C. You had such great style and panache
You were a man of the people and you liked to wear a sash
You called George Bush the devil when you spoke at the U.N.
You said it smelled like sulfur and you called him Mr. Danger

It seems to me you lived your life like a candle in the wind
If a candle could pull out two pistols at a press conference
You said the U.S. caused earthquakes and you outlawed Coke Zero
And on your shoulder stood your parrot with a matching red beret

You had your own TV show, it was called ‘Hello President’ (Great name)
It wasn’t about politics, you sometimes danced and made up raps
You helped to make a country the kidnapping capital of the world
But you also increased milk production by almost 50 percent

And it seems to me you once gave a speech where you encouraged shorter showers
And another thing you said was capitalism killed Mars
Yes you believed in a civilization that existed on the surface of Mars
But capitalism killed it off, when it was introduced to Mars (He actually said that)

You were a hero to your people and you never gave up the fight
We’ll miss you, Hugo Chavez, because — live from New York, it’s Saturday night!

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- searcher619
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:39pm
  The Mars bit had me LMAO! I had no idea he paid a visit to THAT particular crazy zone. It’s amazing to me that anyone took this clown seriously.
  
  Report this comment
- armyofnibiru
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 1:09pm
  this is the first time they made fun of a polititian who wasn’t a republican in decades what they said about bush then palin made this pale in comparison.but like the movie that no one saw, that caused benghazi. this personaly offended potus.so it will be scrubbed by the order of the magic *****.
  
  Report this comment
- rosegrower
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 3:40pm
  Searcher619
  Nothing that Chavez said is any less whacko than some of the things that Louis Farrakhan or Sheila Jackson Lee have said, and people in our country believe THEM!
  
  Report this comment
- Supermartski
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 4:17pm
  Thanks for putting the lyrics out there. Even though I can’t listen to the original, I bet there are enough artists out there to make it go on and on.
  
  Report this comment
lambertrc
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:29pm
NBC does this with all their propietorial content. You can still see it on SNL at NBC.com. They scrub all sites like youtube and the like for their content. I believe NBC actually filed a lawsuit a while back against Youtube for initially refusing to take down their content. Just so you know I am a constitutional conservative and not a liberal hack making stuff up to cover for NBC. So there is no conspiracy here.

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- Rowgue
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:56pm
  Try reading the article first.
  
  Report this comment
- lambertrc
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 1:11pm
  I stand corrected …..THEY SUCK
  
  Report this comment
- lambertrc
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 1:12pm
  it was there over the weekend
  
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- Stoic one
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 1:21pm
  I do not know what you are.
  
  Here is a suggestion. Those black squiggly things (just like these ones) are words. I know they are not as important as PICTURES moving or static; but try putting them together to form sentences, then paragraphs, and finally an article – that explains the pictures!
  
  Report this comment
blazingaway
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:27pm
http://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/entretencion/musica/la-parodia-de-justin-timberlake-sobre-hugo-chavez-en-saturday-night-live/2013-03-10/140532.html

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honor007
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:27pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tTWRmKHK1o
not many are, but this is still up for now?
and well, i’ll have a copy forever :D

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- honor007
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:42pm
  well that was a quick takedown…..they aren’t a kiddin’!!!
  spineless bastards~
  
  Report this comment
BaldingEagle1776
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:25pm
LOL @ this week’s conservative line, “Chavez-lovers.” Nice to see you all falling in line like good communists, neocons!

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- Obama Snake Oil Co
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:41pm
  And their dictators are falling like flies…NK, Cuba, Ven, of course, NK replaced its leader with Ill evil Son
  
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The_Fifth_Column
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:25pm
We can’t have SNL getting political now can we! LMAO

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Melvin Spittle
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:23pm
Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tTWRmKHK1o

The internet is forever.

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- Stoic one
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:54pm
  Nope; it’s gone already.
  
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I SPY
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:21pm
The real mystery is why hasn’t NBC fired every writer and lame duck comic from SNL, and how in the world does this train wreck show stay on the air anyway?

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The_Fifth_Column
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:20pm
Sean Penn probably threw a fit. LOL. I have a copy of it.

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EQUALIZER
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:20pm
Typical left wing progressive cowards.

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kaydeebeau
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:18pm
SO DeJesus Unhinged (or whatever it was) is perfectly fine to air and keep archived but mocking Hugo Chavez is verboten ? things that make me go hmmmmmm

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sizzlinsexybeckster
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:15pm
Because they misplaced their pecker.

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Al J Zira
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:12pm
It was great watching an SNL opening of absolutely nothing.

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- drattastic
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:19pm
  Yes that was fantastic . Can’t get those minutes back.
  
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vandy
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:08pm
I’m guessing the Chavez lovers in Hollyweird raised a stink about it and NBC caved. But could it possibly be a copyright issue due to the music used?

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- Al J Zira
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:13pm
  My guess would be Elton had a problem. Other than what is already known.
  
  Report this comment
Xiccarph
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:07pm
I never watch these types of shows, but I’m sure it will boil down to either RIAA, etc. lawyers or offended Progressive Chavez hero worshipers.

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RaydocX
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:04pm
since when is stating facts ‘political’…
only if the MSM disagrees with said facts, of course…
MSM stopped worrying about facts almost eight years ago, no expectation they should change now.
it would be nice if they stopped calling it ‘news’ though.

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Joisey
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:04pm
Obviously, Lorne Michaels got a call from the White House. Equally obvious, King Baracka didn’t like his buddy Hugo getting dissed, so he ordered his toadies in at NBC to bury their own opinions. It’s good to be the King, eh?

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DaveChurch
Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:02pm
I don’t watch NBC, MSNBC, CNBC or even click on any links that go to any of their sites…I don’t support them in any way. They are the worst kind of truth censors…

Its all about ratings, clicks, likes, etc.

NBC — National Barack Channel “Proud as a Peacock”

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- Stoic one
  Posted on March 11, 2013 at 12:24pm
  “Its all about ratings, clicks, likes, etc.”
  
  If this were true, then the skit would still be up. Go back and reread the article. It was one of the most highly watched episodes in quite a while. This speaks more to political censorship than anything else. Remember ‘parodies’ fall under fair use..(also in the article)
  
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