Tom Hanks has sparked backlash from Donald Trump supporters after his portrayal of a character named Doug, wearing a ‘Make America Great Again’ cap, during the 50th anniversary special of Saturday Night Live.
On Sunday, February 16, stars from across the entertainment world gathered in New York to celebrate SNL’s landmark milestone, including Meryl Streep, Martin Short, Jack Nicholson, and Aubrey Plaza.
Hanks, who also joined the festivities, appeared in a skit that has stirred controversy among President Trump’s supporters. In the segment, the Forrest Gump actor played Doug, a character participating in a parody game show called Black Jeopardy, donning the infamous red MAGA hat.
In the skit, Kenan Thompson, the host of the parody game show, attempted to shake Doug’s hand, but Doug initially refused. After a brief moment, Doug begrudgingly returned the handshake, 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 sketch quickly sparked outrage among Trump supporters on Twitter, with many expressing their disapproval. One user wrote: “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.”
Link Lauren, a former advisor to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., criticized Hanks’ SNL appearance, stating: “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 compromised of many former Democrats. Good riddance, SNL!”
Another Trump supporter wrote: “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,” while a third added: “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.”
