Sharon Stone given apology for ‘offensive’ SNL airport security sketch
Sharon Stone has received an apology from former Saturday Night Live (SNL) star Dana Carvey for an “offensive” 1992 sketch which saw her strip down to her bra in front of a group of male airport security guards.
US actress and 90s icon Stone became known for her performances in films such as Basic Instinct (1992) and Casino (1995).
Appearing on Dana Carvey and David Spade’s “Fly On The Wall” podcast, which was released on Wednesday (20 March), Stone reflected on the time she hosted SNL.
Her appearance on the show in April 1992 followed the release of Basic Instinct – an erotic thriller from director Paul Verhoeven – and saw protestors storm the stage.
Stone, 66, said doing SNL‘s famous opening monologue live was “super scary” but made even worse due to the protestors who stormed the studio, with Stone putting the disruption down to her AIDS activism.
“If you think the monologue is scary to begin with, try doing it as people are getting handcuffed in front of you,” she said.
The 1992 episode also included the infamous Airport Security Sketch, which saw Stone’s character stopped by security and forced to strip down to her down to her bra, and also featured US comedian Carvey playing an Indian security guard.
Carvey apologised for the sketch, while podcast co-host Spade described it as “so offensive”.
“I want to apologise publicly for the security check sketch where I played an Indian man and we’re convincing Sharon, her character, or whatever—to take her clothes off to go through the security thing.”
He said the sketch was reflective of a different era, with Stone agreeing.
She said: “I know the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony. And I think that we were all committing misdemeanors [back then] because we didn’t think there was something wrong then.
“We didn’t have this sense. That was funny to me, I didn’t care. I was fine being the butt of the joke.”