(LifeSiteNews) — Prominent actor Tom Hanks was ripped by conservatives for his demeaning portrayal of Donald Trump supporters during Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special.
Donning Trump’s signature “Make America Great Again” hat, Hanks mocked religious Christians as he play-acted a supposedly stereotypical Trump supporter.
“Speaking of church, can I say something? If more folks went to church, we wouldn’t be in this mess we’re in now,” drawled Hanks in a southern accent.
The skit’s game show host, played by SNL veteran Kenan Thompson, proceeded to walk over to shake his hand, and Hanks’ character balked, as if he were a racist unwilling to shake a black man’s hand.
“Maybe I’ll start a show for you to come on and we’ll call it ‘White Jeopardy,’” his character said.
Conservatives went on to bash the skit as condescending, divisive, unfunny, and unintelligent considering that Trump won by a “landslide.”
“This show wonders why their ratings are in the gutter,” former Robert F. Kennedy Jr. aide Link Lauren remarked 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.”
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… pic.twitter.com/PlSc7gmiJ0
— Link Lauren (@itslinklauren) February 17, 2025
Podcaster Benny Johnson commented, “Donald Trump just won a landslide election and has never been more popular with Americans. They have learned nothing.”
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.
Donald Trump just won a landslide election and has never been more popular with Americans.
They have learned nothing.pic.twitter.com/HST1DXcM4L
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 17, 2025
Author and attorney Clay Travis pointed out that “Trump’s 2024 election win was the LEAST racially divisive American election since 1964,” having garnered a high number of black votes.
For its 50 year anniversary special, SNL had Tom Hanks play a racist Trump supporter afraid to shake a black man’s hand. Fun fact: Trump’s 2024 election win was the LEAST racially divisive American election since 1964. pic.twitter.com/0gdocaaktH
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) February 17, 2025