Credit: SNL
Tom Hanks Canceled After Insulting 77 Million People With ‘Disgusting’ SNL Sketch
Tom Hanks’ surprise appearance on SNL 50 stirred up strong reactions from viewers, leading to a significant social media backlash.
Reflecting on his history with SNL, Hanks recently appeared in Peacock’s docuseries SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night.
He described hosting the show as ‘the single most exciting thing that has happened in my career,’ according to NBC.
Having first hosted in 1985, he has returned to the show ten times, even becoming a member of the Five-Timers Club in 1990.
Among those who acknowledged the frustration of Trump supporters was Joy Behar, co-host of The View.
Speaking about the controversy, Behar stated, per Variety: “The fact remains that they’re making anyone who voted for Trump look like a racist, and that’s why they’re mad.”
She went on to add: “I personally would never do that, because I don’t believe that any group is one thing.”
Behar also expressed her belief that many Trump voters had been misled by campaign promises that were not fulfilled.
She explained: “A lot of these people [who voted for Trump], in my opinion, have been misled. They thought that grocery prices would come down. They’re up. They thought inflation was coming down. It’s up. They thought that Medicaid was safe. It’s not. They thought Social Security was safe. It’s not.
“So it’s not only racism that caused Trump to be in office. We have to remember that. So of course they’re going to be insulted.”
While Behar acknowledged the outrage, her co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump White House staffer, downplayed the reaction, saying she believed the backlash was exaggerated.
Meanwhile, former SNL cast member Victoria Jackson expressed her frustration with Hanks’ portrayal, telling TMZ that she was disappointed.
Additionally, political commentator Link Lauren took to X to criticize the sketch, calling it ‘disgusting.’
In a post, Lauren wrote: “Tom Hanks just came out on ‘SNL’ in a MAGA hat for a bit. This show wonders why their ratings are in the gutter. Trump won the popular vote. This tired trope that MAGA is racist is disgusting. ‘SNL’ is an unfunny show for snobbish liberal elites.”
Other social media users echoed similar sentiments, with some arguing that Hanks’ portrayal relied on outdated stereotypes.
One pens: “I don’t get why it’s ‘funny’ or even acceptable to directly insult and demean 77 million people. Tom Hanks is an a** for that skit.”
“SNL and Tom Hanks recycled their joke making fun of 77 million Americans portraying them as dumb, racist, rednecks. They still haven’t figured out why they lost,” writes another.
One user pointed out that the handshake gag was a repeat of Hanks’ original ‘Black Jeopardy’ sketch in 2016, making it feel forced and less effective.
“The hilarious handshake/recoil had already been done in Tom’s first MAGA sketch (which Tom actually improvised), which, unfortunately, made this one feel forced/awkward. Wish they had given Tom new material to set up a different racist reaction,” the user wrote.
In the controversial sketch, the Academy Award-winning actor reprised his role as Doug, a Trump supporter, during the ‘Black Jeopardy’ sketch – a character he originally portrayed eight years ago.
In the skit, Doug, wearing a red MAGA hat, hesitates when Kenan Thompson’s game show host extends a handshake, which many conservatives found offensive.
While Hanks’ participation in SNL50 was meant to celebrate the show’s legacy, his portrayal of a MAGA supporter seemed only to reignite political tensions.
Related Article: Tom Hanks Branded ‘Annoying’ By Viewers During TV Show Appearance
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