On Saturday, as “Saturday Night Live” celebrated its 50th anniversary, Tom Hanks was blasted after reprising a role as a Trump supporter on “Black Jeopardy” who was seen as racist.
Wearing a red Make America Great Again hat again as “Doug,” a Trump supporter, Hanks answered a question correctly, then stated that if more people went to church, America would be better off. When Kenan Thompson, as host “Darnell Hayes,” crossed over to congratulate him on his answer, Hanks recoiled at first, then relented after Thompson said, “It’s only a handshake.”
Hanks’ reluctance to shake Thompson’s hand struck many people as portraying Trump supporters as racist.
The show offered consistent gibes at President Donald Trump; in one sketch, parodying the song “I Dreamed A Dream” from “Les Miserables,” a member of the cast sang, “I dreamed a dream that King Kong died, then I remembered he’s in Florida.” In another sketch, actor Martin Short walked onstage, and comedian Steve Martin asked, “Do you have your passport on you? ICE, get him!” That prompted ICE employees to drag Short off the stage, yelling, “No! I’ll name names! Mike Myers! Jim Carrey!”
Weekend Update segment anchor Colin Jost quipped, “It is an honor and a thrill to be hosting Weekend Update for the 50th, and if it was up to our president, final season of SNL.”
In 2016, Hanks appeared on “Black Jeopardy” as “Doug,” saying, “They told me a fella could win some money, so let’s win me some money. Get’ er done.”
Later, Hanks said, “You know, I got to tell you, I love those movies, I bought a box set at Walmart, and if I can laugh and pray in 90 minutes, that is money well spent.” When Thompson walked over to him with his hand outstretched, saying, “I really appreciate you sayin’ that. I like that,” Hanks recoiled from the outstretched hand, then took it, visibly shaking.
Hanks was roundly criticized for his 50th-anniversary performance on social media:
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
Nobody even laughs. Tom Hanks and the writers of @nbcsnl are an embarrassment for this nonsense. pic.twitter.com/eNrLSGSWDR
— Justin Hart (@justin_hart) February 17, 2025
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
Hanks in 2016:
