US News
Patrick Reilly
Published Feb. 17, 2025, 8:13 a.m. ET
2.1K Comments
Tom Hanks roasted for portraying racist MAGA supporter on SNL's 50th anniversary special
America’s sweetheart Tom Hanks was crucified by conservatives over his “disgusting” portrayal of a simple, Trump-supporting racist on the “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary special.
The two-time Academy Award winner returned to the stage Sunday night as “Doug” — a dumb, MAGA hat-wearing contestant on the recurring bit “Black Jeopardy,” where the butt of the joke is Hanks’ character and the black contestants discovering their similarities.
During the sketch, Doug, who first appeared on the comedy show in 2016, refuses to shake hands with the game show host, Darnell Hayes, played by “SNL” longtimer Kenan Thompson.
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Tom Hanks during the “Black Jeopardy” sketch on February 16, 2025.Chris Haston/NBC via Getty Images
“Don’t like that, whoa, whoa, whoa,” Doug blurts, before eventually shaking Hayes’ hand.
“Maybe I’ll start a show for you to come on and we’ll call it ‘White Jeopardy,’” Doug later quips.
The skit outraged Trump supporters, who quickly bashed it as a “tired” and “disgusting” trope.
“This show wonders why their ratings are in the gutter,” former Robert F. Kennedy Jr. aide Link Lauren posted on X.
“Trump won the popular vote. This tired trope that MAGA is racist is disgusting. SNL is an unfunny show for snobbish liberal elites.”
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson raged that the show’s writers “have learned nothing.
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Hanks’ Trump-supporting character initially refused to shake the black host’s hand in the sketch.Theo Wargo/NBC via Getty Images
“SNL decided it was a good idea to depict Tom Hanks as a ‘Racist Trump Supporter’ in a MAGA Hat afraid to shake a black man’s hand,” he wrote.
“Donald Trump just won a landslide election and has never been more popular with Americans,” he added.
Popular conservative social media account Libs of TikTok labeled it “propaganda” and lambasted it as “dumb.”
The three-and-a-half-hour special was chock-full of jabs at the sitting president and his bold policies.
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Thompson plays the fictional game show’s host.Saturday Night Live / YouTube
During the opening monologue, “SNL” alum Steve Martin joked that he’d just been on a boat in the “Gulf of Steve Martin” — a dig at Trump’s decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.”
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Fellow Canadian comic and one of Martin’s oldest pals, Martin Short, then joined him on stage, with Martin ribbing him about his immigration status.
“Do you have your passport on you? ICE, get him!” Martin yelled as actors in ICE uniforms yanked Short off the stage.
“No! I’ll name names! Mike Myers! Jim Carrey!” Short yelled, naming fellow Canadians as he was hauled away.
Tom Hanks roasted over ‘disgusting’ portrayal of Trump supporter at ‘SNL’ 50th anniversary special
ByPatrick Reilly
Published Feb. 17, 2025, 8:13 a.m. ET
2.1K Comments
Tom Hanks roasted for portraying racist MAGA supporter on SNL's 50th anniversary special
America’s sweetheart Tom Hanks was crucified by conservatives over his “disgusting” portrayal of a simple, Trump-supporting racist on the “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary special.
The two-time Academy Award winner returned to the stage Sunday night as “Doug” — a dumb, MAGA hat-wearing contestant on the recurring bit “Black Jeopardy,” where the butt of the joke is Hanks’ character and the black contestants discovering their similarities.
During the sketch, Doug, who first appeared on the comedy show in 2016, refuses to shake hands with the game show host, Darnell Hayes, played by “SNL” longtimer Kenan Thompson.
3Tom Hanks during the “Black Jeopardy” sketch on February 16, 2025.Chris Haston/NBC via Getty Images
“Don’t like that, whoa, whoa, whoa,” Doug blurts, before eventually shaking Hayes’ hand.
“Maybe I’ll start a show for you to come on and we’ll call it ‘White Jeopardy,’” Doug later quips.
The skit outraged Trump supporters, who quickly bashed it as a “tired” and “disgusting” trope.
“This show wonders why their ratings are in the gutter,” former Robert F. Kennedy Jr. aide Link Lauren posted on X.
“Trump won the popular vote. This tired trope that MAGA is racist is disgusting. SNL is an unfunny show for snobbish liberal elites.”
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson raged that the show’s writers “have learned nothing.
3Hanks’ Trump-supporting character initially refused to shake the black host’s hand in the sketch.Theo Wargo/NBC via Getty Images
“SNL decided it was a good idea to depict Tom Hanks as a ‘Racist Trump Supporter’ in a MAGA Hat afraid to shake a black man’s hand,” he wrote.
“Donald Trump just won a landslide election and has never been more popular with Americans,” he added.
Popular conservative social media account Libs of TikTok labeled it “propaganda” and lambasted it as “dumb.”
The three-and-a-half-hour special was chock-full of jabs at the sitting president and his bold policies.
3Thompson plays the fictional game show’s host.Saturday Night Live / YouTube
During the opening monologue, “SNL” alum Steve Martin joked that he’d just been on a boat in the “Gulf of Steve Martin” — a dig at Trump’s decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.”
2.1K
What do you think? Post a comment.
Fellow Canadian comic and one of Martin’s oldest pals, Martin Short, then joined him on stage, with Martin ribbing him about his immigration status.
“Do you have your passport on you? ICE, get him!” Martin yelled as actors in ICE uniforms yanked Short off the stage.
“No! I’ll name names! Mike Myers! Jim Carrey!” Short yelled, naming fellow Canadians as he was hauled away.
