Tom Hanks has ignited backlash from Donald Trump supporters following his appearance in a politically charged sketch on Saturday Night Live’s 50th-anniversary special.
On February 16, a star-studded lineup, including Meryl Streep, Martin Short, Jack Nicholson, and Aubrey Plaza, gathered in New York to celebrate five decades of the iconic sketch comedy show.
Hanks, known for his legendary Hollywood career, participated in a skit that didn’t sit well with some Trump supporters. During a parody game show segment, Black Jeopardy, the Forrest Gump star played a character named Doug—sporting a red “Make America Great Again” hat.
At one point in the sketch, host Kenan Thompson extended a handshake to Doug, who hesitated before finally shaking hands, saying, “Not a fan of that, whoa, whoa, whoa. Maybe I should make a show for you and call it White Jeopardy.”
The moment quickly drew criticism online, with some viewers accusing SNL of mocking Trump voters. One social media user wrote, “Tom Hanks went on SNL looking rough, making fun of millions of Trump supporters—portraying them as ignorant, racist country bumpkins. Keep it up, leftists. You’ll never win another election.”
Link Lauren, a former adviser to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also weighed in, tweeting: “Tom Hanks just played a MAGA supporter hesitant to shake a Black man’s hand on SNL. And they wonder why their ratings keep tanking. Trump won the majority vote. This outdated narrative that MAGA is racist is ridiculous. SNL is an unfunny show for elitist liberals.”
Other Trump supporters echoed similar frustrations, with one saying, “Nobody in the audience even laughed,” while another added, “This makes me so mad. SNL just painted all MAGA supporters as racists.”
What do you think about Hanks’ SNL appearance? Share your thoughts!
Sir Tom Jones Tear-jerking Performance Joins D-Day Commemorations
The Normandy Landings, popularly referred to as “D-Day,” were a part of the Allied invasion of Normandy in World War II, and were celebrated for the eightieth time in June 2024. Numerous memorial services have been held in the weeks that have followed, leading up to a major event on June 6th at the British Normandy memorial in Ver-sur-Mer. Along with many other well-known people and politicians, Welsh singing icon Sir Tom Jones participated in the celebrations by passionately performing “I Won’t Crumble With You If You Fall.”
Even though it was performed as a tribute to Tom’s late wife Linda, the song turned out to be perfect for the D-Day event, giving the celebrations a heartfelt and somber tone. Tom sung of the “honor” he felt to be asked to perform at the event, and his passionate voice gave the song a lot of fire and emotion. “It is a momentous occasion that reminds us of the limitless sacrifices of that campaign,” he wrote on social media amid the beauty.
It was very breathtaking. And King Charles III and Queen Camilla greeted the twenty-three D-Day veterans in attendance. A military piper played on Gold Beach earlier in the day at precisely 7:26 a.m. to signal the start of the commemorations and the beginning of the invasions. Together with Tom Jones’s poignant vocal performance, all of these elements contributed to a powerful ceremony that honored the veterans of the Normandy Landings.
Before the D-Day commemorative ceremony, Tom sang this particular song live and brought many to tears in the audience. In 2022, he spontaneously performed “I Won’t Crumble When You Fall” during an episode of The Voice UK, in response to numerous enthusiastic requests from the audience. Tom’s strong voice reverberated throughout the room as he performed, bringing fellow judge and vocalist Anne-Marie to tears with only the piano providing accompaniment.
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