Tom Hanks Sparks Outrage with ‘SNL’ MAGA Sketch

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Last weekend, Saturday Night Live (SNL) marked its 50th anniversary by gathering an impressive lineup of stars from both the show’s past and Hollywood at large. To celebrate this milestone, SNL reprised several of its classic sketches, including Black Jeopardy. Notable cast members like Eddie Murphy, Tracy Morgan, and Leslie Jones made a comeback to the stage for the mock game show. However, it was Tom Hanks‘ appearance that sparked plenty of conversation – though maybe not in the way he had hoped.

Tom Hanks took part in a humorous spin-off of Jeopardy (called Black Jeopardy in this instance) that the show has become known for. In this skit, he portrayed a caricature of a Trump supporter, a character he had previously taken on. However, a scene within the segment is causing controversy on conservative social media platforms. During the scene, Kenan Thompson’s character extends his hand to greet Hanks, but Hanks refuses.

One of the vocal critics of the actor’s MAGA portrayal is former SNL cast member Victoria Jackson, who expressed her displeasure about the sketch to TMZ, labeling it as “foolish.” Known for her past remarks that have been deemed homophobic and bigoted, as well as endorsing the unfounded theory that Barack Obama was not a U.S. citizen, Jackson also alleged that SNL’s bias was apparent as no one was made fun of for supporting Kamala Harris during the episode.

Famous Conservatives Slam Tom Hanks and ‘SNL’

It’s not just Jackson who found SNL’s depiction of conservative voters as crude and unintelligent. Many famous figures, including Meghan McCain, former host of The View and daughter of the late senator John McCain, have voiced their displeasure with Tom Hanks on platform X. McCain criticized Hanks, questioning his appeal and significance in the industry as she spoke out against him.

Tom Hanks often strives to come across as a relatable everyday person, but he can be just as divisive as any MSNBC talk show host when it comes to political views. It seems he might be losing touch with cultural significance at an accelerating pace. Best of luck navigating that, buddy!

Commentator Tomi Lahren expressed disapproval toward Tom Hanks as well. Given Hanks’ diverse filmography like Toy Story and Forrest Gump, which appeal to a broad spectrum of audiences, Lahren perceived it as inconsistent for the actor to distance himself from Republican supporters. This sentiment is shared widely among conservative media, with many expressing frustration over the association of MAGA (Make America Great Again) with racism.

Nevertheless, even though there’s anger from notable figures in the Republican media, it appears that the ordinary conservative viewer of SNL has also expressed concern. A user, echoing the general sentiment on social media, exclaimed their shock at what they saw, saying, “This infuriates me. SNL aired a sketch tonight starring Tom Hanks as a MAGA supporter who is a racist…he even flinches when a black game show host attempts to shake hands. It’s just not right — MAGA isn’t racist! SNL continues to exploit these offensive stereotypes for laughs. Disgusting.

On various social platforms, some extreme-right supporters have been sharing misleading information about Hanks. If you’re interested, you might want to investigate it further.

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2025-02-19 00:31