'SNL' mocks JK Rowling with Dobby skit as feud with Emma Watson over trans rights reignites

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: During its Season 51 premiere on Saturday, October 4, 'Saturday Night Live' aired a skit mocking 'Harry Potter' author JK Rowling amid her ongoing feud with actress Emma Watson.

The sketch, part of the show's 'Weekend Update' segment hosted by Michael Che and Colin Jost, featured cast member Bowen Yang as Dobby the House Elf weighing in on Rowling’s stance on transgender rights.

'SNL' spotlights JK Rowling’s trans controversy with taunts and jokes

The satirical skit began with Michael Che introducing the segment by referencing JK Rowling’s latest clash with Emma Watson.

“This week, 'Harry Potter' author JK Rowling called Emma Watson ignorant and out of touch after Watson refused to defend Rowling's controversial stance on trans rights,” Che said, before announcing, “Here to comment is Dobby the House Elf.”

Yang, portraying Dobby, appeared nervous as he declared that his “master” had ordered him to “define once and for all what a woman is.”

When Che asked if his master was Rowling, Yang replied, “Of course, sir! Oh, oh no. Dobby wasn’t supposed to say,” before mimicking the character’s self-punishing act by hitting his head on the desk and shouting, “Bad Dobby.”

“Scared? Why would Dobby be scared, sir? Dobby’s just about to publicly weigh in on trans people, that’s all,” Yang said, adding sarcastically that Rowling had “done so much for Dobby and for inclusion in general.”

He went on to joke about the author’s retroactive diversity claims, saying, “Remember when Dumbledore was gay after the books came out and when Hermione was Black, only on Broadway? And when Cho Chang was, hmm, was Cho Chang Asian? Dobby can’t remember.”

He also nervously insisted that “women’s bathrooms are for women only, and girls and ghosts of girls.” The latter is a reference to the Moaning Myrtle character from the series. 

Later in the bit, Dobby produced a shirt reading “They. K. Rowling," which made the hosts say that, as per 'Harry Potter' lore, he was now free. 

JK Rowling and Emma Watson's feud over trans issues intensifies

The parody comes amid renewed public tension between JK Rowling and Emma Watson over the author’s views on trans rights.

Rowling previously said she would “never forgive” Watson and her 'Harry Potter' co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint for “cozying up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights.”

More recently, the author argued that the trio had “every right to embrace gender identity ideology” but accused them of using their association with 'Harry Potter' to act as “de facto spokespeople for the world I created.”

Rowling also took direct aim at Watson, suggesting her views stemmed from inexperience. “Like other people who’ve never experienced adult life uncushioned by wealth and fame, Emma has so little experience of real life she’s ignorant of how ignorant she is,” she said.  

Rowling made the remarks after Watson addressed their rift in her new podcast interview with Jay Shetty.