Cecily Strong Thanks “All of ‘SNL’” For Supporting Clown Abortion Sketch

On Monday (Nov. 9), Saturday Night Live star Cecily Strong took to Instagram to thank the show’s cast and crew for helping her to share her personal abortion story on last weekend’s episode.

During the show’s “Weekend Update” segment, Strong joined anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che dressed as the character Goober the Clown. “I had an abortion the day before my 23rd birthday … but it’s a rough subject, so we’re going to do fun clown stuff to make it more palpable,” she said, before detailing her own abortion, as well as her connections with people who have also had abortions.

“I wish I didn’t have to do this because the abortion I had at 23 is my personal clown business, but that’s all some people want to discuss all the time,” Strong continued. “I know I wouldn’t be a clown on TV here today if it weren’t for the abortion I had the day before my 23rd birthday. [Abortions are] gonna happen, so it ought to be safe, legal, and accessible.”

The actress recently took to her Instagram Stories to confirm that she was drawing from personal experience in the sketch. “I didn’t tell my own wonderful and supportive mom for years and on Saturday I told live TV,” she wrote. Strong went on to say that she works with “the best people on earth,” thanking her fellow writers, and “@doylebird [for] being the first person I could text on Monday asking ‘is this an insane idea or…’ Because she’s not only a great friend she’s an amazing producer.”

She added: “And thank you to Jost and Che (and all of SNL) for being on board immediately and giving this clown a seat at you table.”

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

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