Comedian Mocks Ed Sheeran as 'Red-Headed Puppet' Amid Macklemore Controversy

Comedian Amelia Dimoldenberg referred to singer Ed Sheeran as a "world-famous red-headed puppet" during her opening monologue on "Saturday Night Live UK." The remark came after Sheeran's decision to remove rapper Macklemore from his Loop Tour following Macklemore's "Free Palestine" speech at a concert.

"I've been incredibly privileged to have done so many interviews with people like Idris Elba, Cher and even a world-famous, red-headed puppet with a hand up his ass telling him what to say," Dimoldenberg said, as a photo of herself with Elmo from "Sesame Street" appeared on screen. She quickly clarified, "No, the other one," prompting laughter from the audience. An image of Dimoldenberg and Sheeran from a 2021 interview on her YouTube series "Chicken Shop Date" then flashed on screen.

Dimoldenberg's "Chicken Shop Date" series features her interviewing celebrities, often in fast-food restaurants. The show concluded its run in October.

The controversy began when Macklemore announced he had been dropped from the remainder of Sheeran's Loop Tour after delivering a pro-Palestine message during a concert in New Jersey. "I wanted to stand up here on stages across America and say two words that are near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine," Macklemore stated at the show.

Following the announcement of his removal from the tour, Macklemore posted on Instagram, stating that he was not a victim and that he and Sheeran had "painful disagreement[s] over" the speech. He emphasized that while consequences might arise, he, Sheeran, and others involved had careers, money, and safety, contrasting this with the situation of the Palestinian people.

Sheeran later addressed the situation on Instagram, asserting that the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the concert promoter, not by him. He explained that venues threatened to cancel shows if Macklemore was not removed. Sheeran stated he would never abandon his fans, touring crew, or other support acts.

In solidarity with Macklemore, other artists slated to open for Sheeran on the tour, including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Beoga, announced they were withdrawing from the tour.

Sheeran reportedly became emotional during a concert in Philadelphia on September 19, telling the crowd that friends and family had abandoned him amid the controversy. "In these situations you really find out who your friends are. It's been a weird week," he said. "Everyone's telling me to cancel and I'm feeling all of my friends and family and people I know abandon me."

On September 24, Macklemore announced a "Free Palestine Tour," with proceeds designated for organizations supporting the Palestinian people.