Following a controversial Saturday Night Live (SNL) skit that mocked people with peanut allergies, hundreds of parents—especially moms—are speaking out. The sketch featured the character “Miss Eggy” complaining about airline food and making light of peanut allergies by saying sufferers should “just take a Benadryl and shut up.” That line has triggered backlash across social media.
Mothers of children with life-threatening allergies say jokes like these are not only insensitive but dangerous. Lianne Mandelbaum, a mother of a 19-year-old son with a severe peanut allergy, says the skit reflects a deeper misunderstanding of the seriousness of food allergies.
“Satire can be powerful and reveal social problems,” she tells Fortune, “but there’s a blind spot when it comes to food allergies. Jokes like this only make that worse.”
Mandelbaum is the founder of the nonprofit advocacy group The No Nut Traveler, which supports people with food allergies when flying. After the skit aired, she posted a photo of her son holding a sign: “My food allergy is NOT funny.” Her post drew hundreds of comments from other parents and allergy advocates who shared similar concerns.
Food allergies are rising in the U.S.
According to Food Allergy Research & Education, over 33 million Americans now live with food allergies. That includes one in 10 adults and one in 13 children. Among those affected, 51% of adults and 42% of children have experienced severe allergic reactions, also known as anaphylaxis.
Emergency room visits for food allergy reactions more than doubled between 2008 and 2016. In children, food allergies increased by 100% from 1997 to 2021, showing how quickly the condition is spreading.
The timing of the SNL joke was especially troubling to many, as May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. On Instagram, the skit drew over 2,200 comments, many calling the humor “unbelievable,” “ignorant,” and “dangerous.” NBC, which airs Saturday Night Live, did not respond to requests for comment.
What is a severe allergic reaction?
A severe allergic reaction, or anaphylaxis, is a fast and serious response to an allergen such as food, medicine, latex, or insect stings. The body mistakenly sees the substance as harmful, causing symptoms such as:
Itching
Swelling of the lips or throat
Trouble breathing
Dizziness
Stomach pain
Without quick treatment, anaphylaxis can be fatal. The only recommended treatment is an injection of epinephrine, often using an EpiPen. Antihistamines like Benadryl, as suggested in the SNL sketch, are not considered effective in emergencies.
The Allergy & Asthma Network warns that relying on Benadryl instead of epinephrine is a dangerous myth. Mandelbaum says she was reminded of a tragic story after watching the skit—a 13-year-old girl who died in 2013 after a peanut exposure. Her caregivers gave her Benadryl first and delayed the use of epinephrine. The girl’s mother reached out to Mandelbaum after the skit aired, shocked that this misinformation still exists more than a decade later.
Is it just a joke, or something more harmful?
Some people think the public is overreacting. One commenter on Mandelbaum’s Facebook post—a fellow allergy mom—said she could laugh at the skit. Comedian Judy Gold, who wrote Yes, I Can Say That: When They Come for the Comedians, We Are All in Trouble, believes comedy should have room to push boundaries.
“No comedian is writing jokes with the intention of hurting children,” Gold tells Fortune. “They are just trying to be funny. It’s a character. The actress even has a degree in biology.”
But Mandelbaum disagrees. She says the issue is not about being offended—it’s about how repeated jokes can normalize dangerous misinformation.
“If your experience is different, that’s fine,” she says. “But it doesn’t cancel out the serious danger that others face every day.”
Food allergy bullying is real—and often cruel
The problem goes beyond hurt feelings. Jokes about allergies, Mandelbaum says, can fuel real-life bullying. In 2023, a Texas high school football player had peanuts stuffed in his locker by teammates who knew about his allergy. The mother has since sued the school district.
In another case, teens were criminally charged for deliberately exposing a girl to pineapple, knowing she was highly allergic.
A recent study found that 1 in 3 children with food allergies reported being bullied. Some had allergens waved in their faces, thrown at them, or secretly put in their food.
Even adults face anxiety when traveling, especially on airplanes. A 2024 study from Northwestern University’s Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research found that 98% of allergic airline passengers experience anxiety during flights. More than 30% choose not to disclose their allergy because they fear being dismissed or mocked.
Jokes like the one on SNL, Mandelbaum argues, add to this fear.
“My son has been lucky. Many people have been kind and protective. But others aren’t as fortunate,” she says. “This is a real-life disability. We need to support each other, not make fun of something that can kill.”
