Marcello Hernandez’s Tiger Woods Joke Sparks Criticism

Comedian Marcello Hernandez faced swift online backlash for a joke targeting Tiger Woods during his opening monologue as host of the 2026 ESPY Awards on Wednesday, July 15. The ceremony was held at the David H. Koch Theater in New York City's Lincoln Center.

The joke came as Hernandez, a 28-year-old cast member of Saturday Night Live, congratulated Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams for landing the cover of the new Madden NFL video game. He then added, "And Tiger Woods will be on the cover of Grand Theft Auto." The quip was a clear reference to Woods's arrest for driving under the influence in March following a single-vehicle rollover crash in Florida. The clip quickly spread across social media platforms, where many viewers criticized the comedian.

Online reaction was largely negative, with numerous fans calling the joke unfunny and an unfair attack. One social media user wrote they had never heard of Hernandez before this "idiotic attack on Tiger Woods," questioning what the comedian had done to justify such a remark. Another criticized Hernandez directly, while a third user suggested the material sounded like it was written by a teenager and called the night an...