LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'The Idol' might have opened to unfavorable reviews, but Chloe Fineman's parody of the controversial drama appears to have received a standing ovation. Even Lily-Rose Depp and the show's creator The Weeknd have applauded the actress's hilarious version of the HBO show.
The 'Saturday Night Live' performer can be seen emulating Lily-Rose's self-destructive character Jocelyn in a now-viral Instagram video. She asks the camera, "Does my song suck?" while puffing on a cigarette and donning lacy underwear backward.
Who is Chloe Fineman?
An actress, comedian, impressionist, and writer, Chloe Fineman has been a featured regular on 'SNL' since its 45th season in September 2019. At the start of season 47 in 2021, she was elevated to the repertory level. In her parody, the 34-year-old was seen wearing a deep-cut crimson silk robe and smoking a literal handful of cigarettes. She explains that music "should sound like a sl*t or a wh**e," later adding, "Music should sound like it's poly or, like, bi. Like, there is no gender in music. You know it f--ks?"
She then goes on to describe how she met Tedros, The Weeknd's self-help guru and potential cult leader, in a bar, saying, "I think he's gonna, like, change my career." Toward the end of the episode, Chloe firmly wraps her robe over her head, suffocating herself, like Lily-Rose did at the conclusion of the first episode which aired on June 4. Meanwhile, someone says off camera, "Now sing like you can f—k." The comedian begins singing Cher's 'Believe' and Natasha Bedingfield's 'Pocket Full of Sunshine', respectively.
'My audition for 'The Idol'
Chloe captioned the video, "My audition for THE IDOL (must have got lost in the mail)(@lilyrose_depp is a GODDESS of talent)." However, Lily-Rose herself left a comment on the video on Instagram saying, "I'm loling..... and ur makeup looks bomb," while the rapper retweeted it with a string of sobbing emojis.
Even Britney Spears appears to have expressed her admiration for the comedian's talent. Fineman exclusively told E! News, "There was so much inspiration to be drawn, from somebody like Britney Spears, who I adore, and all of the other incredible pop icons of our time."
'Fame really corrupts'
Sam Levinson, the program's co-creator and the man behind 'Euphoria', emphasized that the show isn't based on just one star's turbulent ascent and fall to fame. He said at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, "We're not trying to tell you a story about any particular pop star. We're looking more at how the world perceives a pop star and the pressure that it puts on that individual."
Levinson added, "It's a lot of pressure to constantly have to be 'on' and to have to be what everyone wishes you to be, and I think that it's a lonely life." He continued, "We can all pretend that everyone is just looking out for someone's best interests, but I think fame really corrupts."