by JAMES S. KIM | @james_s_kim
editor@charactermedia.com
Evil has a name, and it is Dr. Evil.
The comically absurd arch nemesis of Austin Powers interrupted last weekend’s Saturday Night Live cold open to express his anger at Sony Pictures and North Korea. He obviously knows a thing or two about evil, and he bashed them for damaging evil’s credibility in the last couple of months regarding The Interview.
Hackers attacked Sony Pictures’ computer network back in November, leaking unfinished movies, scripts, emails and other private files in protest of the upcoming James Franco and Seth Rogen comedy. Theaters initially pulled out of screening the movie last week due to threats from the hackers, called the “Guardians of Peace.” As a result, Sony Pictures canceled the Dec. 25 wide release, only to reverse its decision earlier today and announce a limited theatrical release of the film on Christmas Day.
The FBI formally blamed North Korea for the hack, an allegation the country refuted and actually offered to help in finding the true perpetrators. Earlier this week, North Korea’s Internet went down to a suspected cyberattack. Does this all sound like a typical over-the-top Dr. Evil plan, or is it just us?
“I’m furious that North Korea and Sony Pictures have both given evil organizations a bad name,” he fumed. “I mean, what the F, people? It’s so pathetic to see you two fight over a silly comedy.”
Dr. Evil then mocked North Korea for obsessing so much—“You’re one of the most evil countries of the world, and your act of war is to kill a movie?”—and told the Guardians of Peace that the name was already taken by another evil organization, the Republican Party.
“Way to go, A-holes,” he quipped. “There’s already a GOP, and they’re already an evil organization.”
Dr. Evil also threw barbs at Kim Jong-un, Dennis Rodman, James Franco and Sony Pictures—“Why pick on Sony? They haven’t had a hit since the Walkman.” He also took a shot at himself, Mike Myers, the comedian who plays Dr. Evil and Austin Powers.
“If you really want to put a bomb in a theater, do what I did. Release The Love Guru,” he suggested.
