There has been criticism aimed at Tom Hanks for his portrayal of a Trump supporter as a foolish and ‘racist’ character in a sketch on the 50th anniversary special of Saturday Night Live.
The celebrated actor reprised his role as Doug, a naïve individual who wears a Make America Great Again hat and surprisingly does well on a parody game show named Black Jeopardy.
Hanks initially played Doug on Black Jeopardy! back in 2016, aiming to showcase the contrasts and similarities between supporters of Trump and African American culture.
The character was brought back for the 50th anniversary of the NBC staple, which included comedy sketches from A-listers and SNL alums including Eddie Murphy, Kristen Wiig, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Bill Murray, David Spade and Jon Lovitz.
But, as MAGA fans pointed out, President Trump has since won over a diverse electorate and secured the popular vote – turning Doug into an outdated stereotype.
In the new version of the sketch, Doug vehemently refused to shake hands with host Darnell Hayes played by Kenan Thompson.
Afterward, Trump fans blasted SNL and the ‘Forrest Gump’ star for what they viewed as an unfair portrayal.
Former Robert F. Kennedy Jr. aide Link Lauren called the character ‘disgusting’ and accused SNL of pushing a tired, divisive narrative.
‘This show wonders why their ratings are in the gutter,’ he wrote. ‘Trump won the popular vote. This tired trope that MAGA is racist is disgusting. SNL is an unfunny show for snobbish liberal elites.’
Tom Hanks appeared as a MAGA Republican wearing a signature red baseball cap
In one of the early sketches that purported to be a black version of the game show Jeopardy! Tom Hanks dressed up as a racist Trump supporter, appearing as the only white contestant
In a random and divisive move and while wearing a MAGA hat, Hanks portrayed an ignorant racist who refused to shake hands with the African-American host
His sentiments were echoed by other Trump supporters who flooded social media with criticism of the sketch.
Right-wing influencer Dominick McGee took direct aim at Hanks, accusing him of ‘just disrespecting every Republican on SNL as he was dressed up as a Trump supporter with a MAGA hat.’
Another critic pointed out what they saw as an awkward silence during the sketch, writing, ‘No one in the audience laughs as Tom Hanks appears on SNL as a racist Trump supporter that refuses to shake hands with a Black man.’
Trump supporters also used the moment to highlight what they claim is SNL’s declining viewership.
One Trump fan account wrote, ‘Tom Hanks and SNL thought it would be hilarious for him to put on a MAGA hat and act out a stereotype of half the country in a desperate attempt to cope with Democrats’ crushing defeat in November. Not surprising no one watches SNL or NBC anymore.’
During the rest of the three-and-a-half hour broadcast – featuring everyone from Cher to Bad Bunny, Adam Sandler and Scarlett Johansson – the star-studded cast could not help but take cheap shots at Trump.
In another sketch that poked fun at 50 years of drastic changes in New York City, the cast performed a parody of famous show tune I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables.
‘I dreamed a dream that King Kong died, then I remembered he’s in Florida,’ sung one cast member, in a thinly veiled swipe at the president who left Manhattan after his first term.
Many on social media were deeply unimpressed with Hanks’ portrayal of a racist Trump supporter
But the special celebrating 50 years on air poked fun at the Trump administration from the very start.
It took mere seconds before actor and comedian Steve Martin, 79, made his first political jab joking about how he had been on a boat in ‘The Gulf of Steve Martin’ – a quip about Trump’s recent renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
‘I can’t believe I made it here in time. It was only a few days ago that Lorne told me I was doing the monologue, and I was actually vacationing on a friend’s boat down in the Gulf of Steve Martin,’ Martin began.
Later in the monolog Martin’s fellow Only Murders In The Building Canadian co-star Martin Short, 74, walked onstage.
Martin asked him, ‘Do you have your passport on you? ICE, get him!’ as actors dressed as ICE employees hauled Short off the stage.
‘No! I’ll name names! Mike Myers! Jim Carrey!’, Short yelled as he was carted away.
It took mere seconds before actor and comedian Steve Martin, 79, made his first political jab joking about how he had been in a boat in ‘The Gulf of Steve Martin’
Later, actors dressed as ICE employees hauled Martin Short,74, off stage for being Canadian
Later during the famous Weekend Update segment, anchor Colin Jost joked how it could be the final season of SNL if Trump has his way.
‘It is an honor and a thrill to be hosting Weekend Update for the 50th, and if it was up to our president, final season of SNL,’ Jost said to laughter from the audience.
‘It is incredible that SNL is still going after all this time and I’m just talking about tonight’s show.’
In the past, Trump has been particularly critical of the comedy show and has long slammed SNL. He has shown hostility toward mockery in general and is known to hardly ever laugh.
‘SNL is bad but Saturday Night Live is the worst of NBC. Not funny, cast is terrible, always a complete hit job. Really bad television!’ Trump wrote in January 2017.
Cecily Strong appeared as her character ‘Girl you never want to talk to at a party’ where she appeared to draw attention to the current political climate
Strong as her character said she wanted to keep her baby unborn until Trump was out of office
In 2019 he threatened the show with a federal investigation for mocking him after he took a dislike to Alec Baldwin’s interpretation of him.
Last year, SNL creator Lorne Michaels promised the show would ‘reinvent’ the way it depicts Trump during his second term in office.
During Weekend Update Cecily Strong appeared as her character ‘Girl you never want to talk to at a party’ where she appeared to draw attention to the current political climate.
‘Is it nice to be on the verge of the apocalypse. It’s devastating. It’s a constipational crisis, literally for me. Do I want to bring a baby into the world or should I keep her in here for another 3½ years.’
Co-host Michael Che asked Strong where she works.
‘I’m the press secretary at the White House,’ Strong replied. ‘People are so angry about DEI, well, stop drinking and driving,’ she joked as she jokingly confused the terms DUI with DEI.
DUI stands for Driving Under the Influence referring to the criminal offense of operating a vehicle while impaired by drugs or alcohol or drugs.
Two hours into the show, the SNL special took a swipe at the politics of New York mocking former Mayor Rudy Giuliani
DEI, of course, stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Trump followed through with a campaign promise, signing an executive order last month to eliminate DEI programs across the federal government.
Trump and his allies argue the programs discriminate against white Americans.
Two hours into the show, the SNL special took a swipe at the politics of New York mocking former Mayor Rudy Giuliani with Kate McKinnon reprising the role.
‘Rudy, you’re America’s mayor. You’re beloved all across the country, this is your big shot. What are you going to do with it?’
‘Simple. I AM throwing away my shots. I am throwing my shots!’ he said, to a rap from the Hamilton musical alongside creator Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton.
