Tom Hanks has ignited backlash from Donald Trump supporters following his appearance in a politically charged sketch on Saturday Night Live’s 50th-anniversary special.
On February 16, a star-studded lineup, including Meryl Streep, Martin Short, Jack Nicholson, and Aubrey Plaza, gathered in New York to celebrate five decades of the iconic sketch comedy show.
Hanks, known for his legendary Hollywood career, participated in a skit that didn’t sit well with some Trump supporters. During a parody game show segment, Black Jeopardy, the Forrest Gump star played a character named Doug—sporting a red “Make America Great Again” hat.
At one point in the sketch, host Kenan Thompson extended a handshake to Doug, who hesitated before finally shaking hands, saying, “Not a fan of that, whoa, whoa, whoa. Maybe I should make a show for you and call it White Jeopardy.”
The moment quickly drew criticism online, with some viewers accusing SNL of mocking Trump voters. One social media user wrote, “Tom Hanks went on SNL looking rough, making fun of millions of Trump supporters—portraying them as ignorant, racist country bumpkins. Keep it up, leftists. You’ll never win another election.”
Link Lauren, a former adviser to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also weighed in, tweeting: “Tom Hanks just played a MAGA supporter hesitant to shake a Black man’s hand on SNL. And they wonder why their ratings keep tanking. Trump won the majority vote. This outdated narrative that MAGA is racist is ridiculous. SNL is an unfunny show for elitist liberals.”
Other Trump supporters echoed similar frustrations, with one saying, “Nobody in the audience even laughed,” while another added, “This makes me so mad. SNL just painted all MAGA supporters as racists.”
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