If you’re tired, drink a 5-Hour Energy. If you’re tired of misunderstanding racism, try 5-Hour Empathy. In this weekend’s Issa Rae–hosted episode of Saturday Night Live, Beck Bennett promotes an incredible new elixir that offers him an eye-opening five-hour window of total insight into systems of oppression. As for whether he ever actually opens it … well, you know that saying about how you can lead a horse to water, but can’t make it drink? Now, imagine the water also reveals to the horse its complacency in a binding web of societal subjugation.
Yeah, unfortunately, it’s not something everyone is going to pick up from the 7/11 and voluntarily drink. At least Beck Bennett’s character doesn’t, opting instead to bail, and bail hard. Oh, and in case you were going to ask: The effects of 5-Hour Empathy are not the same as just being a white lady or voting for Biden. But nice try.