Britney Spears fans applauded Saturday Night Live’s referencing of the #FreeBritney movement in the episode’s cold open.
Featuring Chloe Fineman playing Britney Spears, the sketch showed the pop singer interviewing New York governor Andrew Cuomo (played by Pete Davidson), Texas Senator Ted Cruz (played by Aidy Bryant), and fired The Mandalorian actor Gina Carano (played by Cecily Strong).
“You all know me from my upbeat Instagram videos," said Fineman as Spears, who is supposed to be hosting a show where people apologise for what they’ve done wrong.
Then, she gave a shoutout to the Notes app: “Are you looking to post a lame apology, 20 years late?” Fineman's Spears said.
“SNL opening the episode with a Britney Spears interviewing Ted Cruz sketch. This is amazing,” said a fan on Twitter.
“Shout out to #SNL for using their cold open to defend Britney Spears. #freebritney,” wrote another.
“#SNL mentioned #FreeBritney during their cold open for the 2nd week in a row! Love them for supporting our queen,” wrote another.
The much-discussed documentary Framing Britney Spears was released in the US on 5 February as part of the first season of The New York Times Presents… series.
The programme looks at the treatment of Spears by the media from the beginning of her career to now, but particularly during her mental health breakdowns in 2008, when she was placed under a conservatorship.
The documentary then looks at the pop star’s ongoing battle with her father, Jamie Spears, over the control the conservatorship gives him over every aspect of her life, from her business decisions to her family.
Legions of fans, supporters, members of the media, and celebrities have since expressed support for the #FreeBritney movement, which calls for an end to the singer’s long-standing conservatorship. Spears’ conservatorship is currently still in place.
Last year, Spears’ lawyer, Samuel D Ingham III, stated in a filing that she “strongly opposed” her father as conservator and that she would not perform if he continued to be in charge of her career.
While Jamie Spears has not been removed as conservator of the singer's estate, a Los Angeles judge agreed in November to allow a third party, Bessemer Trust, to be added as co-conservator.
Framing Britney Spears is available to watch now on Hulu and FX in the US and on NowTV in the UK.
