Recalling that time when SNL teased Tom Cruise for his height

They say that laughter is the best medicine, and the Saturday Night Live team certainly seems to believe in this adage. On one memorable episode, they decided to have a bit of fun with Hollywood megastar Tom Cruise's stature, as reported by The Independent, in 2021. 

Tom Cruise: The Butt of the Joke

During the 'Weekend Update' segment, anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che didn't shy away from drawing laughs at Cruise's expense. The joke's punchline? "It was reported that Tom Cruise protested the lack of diversity at the Hollywood Foreign Press by returning his three Golden Globe statues, which was tough for him because they were sitting on pretty high shelves," quipped Che. A classic SNL zinger, simultaneously addressing the topical issue of HFPA's diversity row and poking fun at Cruise's reported height of 5ft 7in.

Turbulence in Tinseltown: Cruise Returns His Golden Globes

This episode aired amid Cruise's controversial decision to return his three Golden Globe awards, a move spurred by the lack of diversity within the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). His protest against the HFPA, an organization without a single Black member, was among the bold moves that celebrities made to stand against systemic racial discrimination in Hollywood.

More Controversy: Scientology and Cruise's Strangeness

The SNL segment wasn't the only controversy surrounding the 'Mission Impossible' star. Cruise also made the news for his alleged attempt to sway Seth Rogen towards the merits of Scientology during an unusual visit to Cruise's house around 2006. Rogen's bizarre recounting of the encounter in his memoir, Yearbook, adds another layer to Cruise's contentious relationship with the public and media.

Looking back, it's clear that this SNL episode offered a comedic lens to some serious issues surrounding one of Hollywood's biggest stars. In their typical style, SNL managed to highlight Tom Cruise's height, the HFPA's diversity row, and the Scientology controversy, all in one hilariously poignant Weekend Update segment.

(Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.)