Tom Hanks has ignited a firestorm among Donald Trump supporters after his controversial appearance on the 50th anniversary special of Saturday Night Live.
On February 16, A-list celebrities gathered in New York City to celebrate the iconic sketch show’s milestone. Stars like Meryl Streep, Martin Short, Jack Nicholson, and Aubrey Plaza joined the festivities as SNL marked its 50th birthday in grand style.
Among the celebrity lineup was Tom Hanks, who appeared in a sketch that has sparked intense backlash from Trump supporters. The Forrest Gump star took on the role of “Doug,” a character wearing a red “Make America Great Again” cap, in a parody game show called Black Jeopardy. The skit has since become a lightning rod for controversy, drawing sharp reactions from those loyal to the former president.
In the sketch, Kenan Thompson, who hosted the parody game show, extended a handshake to Doug. However, Doug initially refused before finally offering a reluctant greeting. He then quipped, “Don’t like that, whoa, whoa, whoa. Maybe I’ll start a show for you to come on and we’ll call it White Jeopardy.”
The skit quickly drew the ire of many Trump supporters, with numerous tweets expressing their outrage. One user blasted the portrayal, saying, “Tom Hanks went on SNL dressed like a slob mocking millions of Trump supporters – portraying them as dumb, racist rednecks. Keep it up, libs. You’ll never win another election again.”
The backlash has been fierce, with critics accusing Hanks and SNL of mocking and stereotyping Trump supporters in an offensive way.
Link Lauren, a former advisor to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also voiced his frustration, writing: “Tom Hanks just came out on SNL in a MAGA hat for a bit where he acted like he didn’t want to shake a black man’s hand. 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. The current Republican Party is a big tent coalition made up of many former Democrats. Good riddance, SNL!”
Another Trump supporter shared their thoughts, saying: “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.” A third echoed the sentiment: “This makes me mad. SNL ran a skit tonight w/Tom Hanks as a MAGA racist…he literally recoils when a black game show host reaches to shake hands.”
The reactions highlight the deep divide and strong feelings the skit sparked, with many feeling the portrayal was unfair and offensive.