Spirit Halloween Labels ‘SNL’ as ‘Irrelevant’ After Premier Sketch Critique

Spirit Halloween Responds to SNL’s Season Premiere Mockery

In a spirited comeback, Spirit Halloween has responded to Saturday Night Live after the comedy show poked fun at the popular costume retailer in its season 50 debut. The sketch aired on Saturday, September 28, and included a segment that lampooned the Halloween pop-up stores, leading Spirit Halloween to deliver some playful jabs of its own on social media.

On their official X page, Spirit Halloween quipped, “We are great at raising things back from the dead @nbcsnl,” along with an image of a costume labeled “Irrelevant 50-Year Old TV Show.” This costume’s packaging humorously advertised features such as “dated references,” “unknown cast members,” and “shrinking ratings.”

Crowds on social media quickly rallied to support Spirit Halloween, with several users appreciating the witty retort and taking shots at SNL. Comments included lines like, “This was way funnier than their video,” and “Can you take their time slot someday?”

The SNL episode, hosted by Jean Smart, set the stage for the mockery with a pre-recorded sketch showcasing cast members Heidi Gardner, Chloe Fineman, and Michael Longfellow acting as employees filming a faux commercial for Spirit Halloween. The sketch opened with Gardner narrating about the struggles facing local communities, humorously highlighting that while some see abandoned buildings, Spirit Halloween sees an opportunity to operate for a mere six weeks before shutting down.

Fineman added to the jab, saying, “We’re here providing vulnerable communities with the things they need most,” which they hilariously enumerated as “single-use fog machines,” “wigs that give you a rash,” and costumes that were just tweaked enough to avoid legal issues. Longfellow even chipped in with a darkly comedic remark about reviving a “condemned Auto Zone” where unfortunate events had once occurred.

Wrapping up the sketch, they showcased a young girl who expressed interest in a Taylor Swift costume, to which Fineman replied with a smile before delivering a sardonic punchline, “And neither are you,” booping the girl on the nose.

As SNL rolls into more episodes celebrating its milestone 50 seasons, fans can look forward to an exciting lineup, with hosts like Ariana Grande and Michael Keaton set to take the stage, along with musical acts featuring the likes of Stevie Nicks and Billie Eilish.

Saturday Night Live airs weekly on NBC at 11:30 p.m. ET.