SNL Recap: Ramy Youssef and Cast Rebrand Ozempic for Ramadan in Skit

Ramy Youssef celebrated Ramadan by organizing Saturday night live for the first time and starred in a parody about the holidays.

“You know, fasting during Ramadan used to be easy, but in recent years, with work and a growing family, it has felt almost impossible, but not anymore thanks to Ozempic for Ramadan,” Youssef, 33, said. in a fake commercial for the controversial weight loss drug. “I used to run to eat a full meal before dawn, but now I just grab my prayer beads and my Ozempic needle. As long as I get shot before dawn, it's halal.”

Ramadan takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, from March 10 to April 9, for Muslims around the world to pray, reflect and gather. One of the ways practicing Muslims do this is through fasting. on Sunday SNL The sketch was intended to claim that Ozempic could help such people avoid the pangs of hunger.

“Ozempic is a prescription medication to suppress hunger and slow digestion and Ramadan is a month when Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset,” a voiceover in the sketch joked. “Side effects can include nausea, headaches and going straight to hell.”

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Ozempic, Wegovy, and other similar semaglutide injections have become popular ways for celebrities to lose weight. The drugs were initially prescribed to help adults struggling with obesity or other weight-related conditions, including high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. Doctors have not recommended their use for occasional weight loss.

He SNL The commercial's host further noted that the fictional Ramadan drug Ozempic features the same “miracle hunger-crushing ingredients” as the injectable, but without pork. (Many practicing Muslims refrain from eating pork and other foods that are not considered halal in their daily diet.)

“With Ozempic for Ramadan, when it's finally time to eat, I'm not even hungry,” Youssef jokes in the sketch. “I think I'm going to fast all month straight. Probably receive additional rewards from God? Thank you, Ozempic for Ramadan.”

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Youssef also addressed Ramadan at its opening. monologue.

“This is an incredibly spiritual weekend. We are in the holy month of Ramadan, tomorrow is Holy Week and yesterday Beyonce released a new album,” he joked, referring to the Grammy winner’s album. cowboy carter LP that came out on Friday, March 29. “There are so many religions celebrating all at once. I'm doing the Ramadan one. “I love Ramadan because I love hanging out with Muslims.”

Saturday night live airs on NBC on Saturdays at 11:30 pm ET.