‘How is that comedy?’: SNL UK faces backlash over crude joke referencing Mark Zuckerberg and Adolf Hitler

A segment on Saturday Night Live UK has sparked backlash after a controversial joke about Mark Zuckerberg and his reported California bunker drew shocked reactions from audiences and viewers.

The remark aired during the show’s “Weekend Update” segment, where co-host Ania Magliano referenced reports that Zuckerberg is building a bunker under his California compound. She said, “It’s been revealed that Meta billionaire Mark Zuckerberg is building a bunker under his compound in California.” She then added, “And I hope he uses that bunker in exactly the same way Hitler did.”

The comment prompted audible gasps from the live studio audience. The reference was to Adolf Hitler, who died by suicide in his bunker in 1945 as World War II came to an end.

Clips of the segment quickly spread online, where viewers reacted strongly. Some criticised the joke as going too far, questioning whether such references should be used in comedy. One viewer wrote on social media, “How is that comedy?” while another said, “That line about the bunker… yikes.”

Others defended the segment, arguing that satire often pushes boundaries. Some viewers said the show was “one of the funniest things going,” showing a split in audience reaction.

The sketch was part of a wider segment that also targeted several public figures, including US President Donald Trump, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and golfer Tiger Woods.

The show itself is a UK adaptation of the long-running American format and is still in its early run. Its debut episode drew around 226,000 viewers, with the second episode seeing a slight drop in audience numbers.

Zuckerberg, the head of Meta, has not publicly responded to the joke yet. Reports about his property developments, including a large compound in California, have circulated in recent months, though details remain limited.