Tom Hanks has found himself at the center of controversy after reviving his “Black Jeopardy” character, Doug, on Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special.
Doug — a clueless, MAGA hat-wearing Trump supporter — was first introduced in 2016, intended to highlight both the differences and unexpected similarities between Trump voters and Black culture.
But when SNL and the Hollywood icon brought Doug back for the star-studded anniversary celebration, many Trump supporters weren’t laughing.
Instead, they blasted Hanks and SNL, accusing them of peddling a tired and divisive stereotype, especially in light of Trump’s recent gains with diverse voters and his popular vote victory in the 2024 election.
The Scene That Sparked Outrage
In the new version of the sketch, Hanks’ Doug takes the stage, but this time, he refuses to shake hands with host Darnell Hayes, played by Kenan Thompson.
That moment was enough to ignite a firestorm online, with critics slamming both the show and Hanks for what they saw as an unfair and outdated portrayal of Trump voters.
Former RFK Jr. aide Link Lauren didn’t hold back, calling the bit “disgusting” and accusing SNL of refusing to evolve.
“This show wonders why their ratings are in the gutter,” he wrote. “Trump won the popular vote. This tired trope that MAGA is racist is disgusting. SNL is an unfunny show for snobbish liberal elites.”
Right-wing influencer Dominick McGee took aim directly at Hanks: “Tom Hanks was just disrespecting every Republican on SNL as he was dressed up as a Trump supporter with a MAGA hat.”
One angered viewer tweeted: “So not funny and Tom Hanks insulted me and 77 million other viewers.”
And another X user added: “This trope of portraying the majority of the country as “racist” is so annoying, old, and divisive. Glad I’m not watching this tonight.”
Another critic noticed what they saw as a lack of laughter from the audience, writing: “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.”
Trump Fans Call Out SNL’s ‘Declining Viewership’
Beyond the criticism of Hanks, Trump supporters used the moment to highlight what they claim is SNL’s sinking relevance.
A pro-Trump account on X (formerly Twitter) posted: “Tom Hanks and SNL thought it would be hilarious for him to put on a MAGA hat and act out a stereotype of half the country in a desperate attempt to cope with Democrats’ crushing defeat in November. Not surprising no one watches SNL or NBC anymore.”
Of course, there were also plenty of viewers who found Hanks’ portrayal amusing, with some X users taking joy at seeing MAGA supporters “crying and losing their s**t” over the sketch.
SNL, however, didn’t stop at just one Trump joke during the three-and-a-half-hour special, which featured Cher, Bad Bunny, Adam Sandler, Scarlett Johansson, Eddie Murphy, and many more.
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More Swipes at Trump Throughout the Night
The political shots started almost immediately in the broadcast.
Veteran comedian Steve Martin kicked things off with a reference to Trump’s recent renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America”.
“I can’t believe I made it here in time. It was only a few days ago that Lorne [Michaels] told me I was doing the monologue, and I was actually vacationing on a friend’s boat down in the Gulf of Steve Martin.”
Later in the monologue, Martin’s Only Murders in the Building co-star Martin Short joined him on stage—only to become the punchline of another political joke.
Martin pretended to call ICE on Short, who is Canadian, yelling: “Do you have your passport on you? ICE, get him!”
Actors dressed as ICE agents then hauled Short off the stage, as he frantically shouted: “No! I’ll name names! Mike Myers! Jim Carrey!”
And one of the most direct digs at Trump came during a parody of ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ from Les Misérables.
A cast member sang about New York’s drastic changes, including a not-so-subtle jab at Trump leaving Manhattan: “I dreamed a dream that King Kong died, then I remembered he’s in Florida.”
Is SNL Stuck in the Past?
SNL has never shied away from political humor, but critics argue that its constant portrayal of Trump voters as racist caricatures is outdated and out of touch — especially given Trump’s increasingly diverse support base, and the fact he won the presidential election by a majority.
Although there were plenty of nostalgic laughs last night, one has to still wonder – with its ratings steadily declining, the debate remains: is SNL still a cultural powerhouse, or has it lost its comedic edge by recycling the same political tropes?
Either way, one thing is certain — Hanks’ return as Doug has reignited the age-old battle between SNL and conservative America.
