Jim Carrey’s portrayal of Joe Biden on Saturday Night Live dismissed as ‘cringe superspreader’

Jason Sudeikis and Woody Harrelson have portrayed the vice president on ‘SNL’ in the past

Jim Carrey’s portrayal of Joe Biden has failed to charm viewers, who have dismissed it as a “cringe superspreader” while suggesting another comedian took over the part.

Carrey made his debut as Biden on Saturday Night Live’s 46th season premiere, on 3 October. The performance immediately drew mixed reactions, and the public’s impressions have not improved since.

The actor returned as the Democratic candidate in the most recent SNL episode, which dedicated its cold open to Biden and Donald Trump’s simultaneous town halls.

That performance was met with renewed criticism, including a Vanity Fair review titled: “Saturday Night Live has a Jim Carrey problem.”

“It sounded like a great get at first,” Karen Valby wrote of Carrey’s casting. “…But after three episodes, Carrey still hasn’t managed to break through. Maybe he’s too physical a performer, or too needy a showman, to capture the flapjack earnestness of the former vice president.”

Describing Carrey as “a monkey tasked with playing a tortoise”, Valby described the comedian as seemingly “stuck doing uncomfortable schtick at half speed”.

On Twitter, users expressed similar views, with one person writing: “Jim Carrey's SNL Biden shtick is just a cringe superspreader. Based on a doddering Biden who doesn't exist, from all we've seen recently, it's both-sidesism -  ineffective comedy hydroxychloroquine. Satire's rooted in truth.”

“It pains me to say this, because I truly love Jim Carrey – but I'm not a fan of his Joe Biden. Jason Sudeikis and Woody Harrelson were much better imo,” another person wrote. Sudeikis and Harrelson have both portrayed the vice president on SNL in the past.

SNL returns on 24 October with Adele as host and HER as musical guest.