SNL: Pete Davidson’s Dog The Bounty Hunter impression causes controversy with reference to Brian Laundrie

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Fans on social media have been reacting to the season premiere of SNL tonight – including Pete Davidson’s impression of Dog The Bounty Hunter during an opening sketch.

Davidson’s character is at a school board Covid-19 meeting where he is looking for Brian Laundrie, the man who is wanted in connection with the death of Gabby Petito whose remains were recently found at a campsite in Wyoming.

It’s a reference to Duane “Dog” Chapman – also known as Dog the Bounty Hunter – who joined the manhunt for Laundrie last week, after friends and family urged him to get involved in helping with the search.

Many viewers on social media questioned the taste of the skit, with man feeling the inclusion was “too soon”. Another said: “The dog bounty hunter was going too far! To glorify that fugitive by his name being on SNL” while a third user called it “disgusting.”

Earlier in the show, fans were confused as to who was playing Joe Biden in an opening sketch, with many thinking it was Owen Wilson. It was in fact new cast member James Austin Johnson. Later in the show, Wilson reprieved his his role as Lightening McQueen in Cars.

SNL recently unveiled the cast of its new season, with Beck Bennett and Lauren Holt both leaving the show.

Pete Davidson, Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Cecily Strong, and Kenan Thompson will all be returning along with the rest of the show’s ensemble – Michael Che, Mikey Day, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, Colin Jost, Alex Moffat, Kyle Mooney, Ego Nwodim, Chris Redd, Melissa Villaseñor, and Bowen Yang.

Three more hosts have been unveiled too to follow up on Wilson: Kim Kardashian West will host on 9 October, followed by Rami Malek the following week, and Jason Sudeikis on 23 October.