Joy Behar has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Donald Trump supporters during the Saturday Night Live (SNL) 50th anniversary special.
The longtime co-host of The View defended Republican backlash against the sketch, arguing that it unfairly painted all Trump voters as racist.
During a recent episode of The View, Behar, 82, acknowledged why many conservatives were upset by the skit,
which featured Hanks reprising his role as Doug, a Trump-supporting contestant on “Black Jeopardy.”
The original 2016 version of the sketch humorously highlighted unexpected similarities between MAGA voters and Black culture.
However, in the anniversary special, Doug refuses to shake hands with host Darnell Hayes, played by Kenan Thompson, an interaction that sparked outrage among Trump supporters.
“The fact remains that they’re making anyone who voted for Trump look like a racist, and that’s why they’re mad,” Behar said. “I would never do that, because I don’t believe that any group is just one thing.”
Behar argued that many MAGA voters were misled by Trump’s promises, particularly regarding economic concerns. “It’s not just racism that put Trump in office. We have to remember that,” she added. “They thought grocery prices would go down. They’re up. They thought inflation would improve. It hasn’t. They believed Social Security and Medicaid would be protected. That’s in question.”
The SNL skit was met with immediate criticism from conservatives, including former Robert F. Kennedy Jr. aide Link Lauren, who labeled the character “disgusting” and accused the show of pushing a divisive narrative. Former SNL cast member Victoria Jackson also slammed the sketch, calling it “stupid.”
Behar suggested that Trump supporters’ frustration over the skit was similar to her own past experience with broad generalizations. She recalled a 2010 episode of The View when she and co-host Whoopi Goldberg walked off the set after political commentator Bill O’Reilly declared that “Muslims killed us on 9/11.”
“It’s the same thing,” Behar said. “If they can do it to them, they can do it to us. That’s the whole point.”
However, not all of Behar’s co-hosts agreed with her take. Sunny Hostin defended the sketch, arguing that it was “subversive” and intended as social commentary rather than a blanket attack on Trump voters. She speculated that Doug’s refusal to shake Hayes’ hand was a reference to a real-life incident in which Republican Senator Deb Fischer’s husband allegedly refused to shake Vice President Kamala Harris’ hand during a swearing-in ceremony.
“I think it’s a very subversive sketch,” Hostin said. “It highlights how Black culture is American culture. And that moment—Doug refusing the handshake—mirrors something that actually happened.”
Despite their differing views, both Behar and Hostin agreed that political satire should be mindful of its impact. Behar pointed to Steve Martin’s jokes during the SNL special, which took jabs at Trump through indirect humor. “He made political points without insulting individual people,” she noted.
Hanks’ original portrayal of Doug in 2016 was widely praised for showing the common ground between working-class Trump voters and Black Americans. However, as some critics pointed out, Trump’s voter base has evolved since then, with increased support among minority communities. Many argued that the character now felt outdated and played into old stereotypes.
The controversy surrounding the sketch reignites a broader debate over political satire, representation, and the media’s role in shaping public perception. While Behar and others acknowledged why Trump supporters were offended, others defended SNL’s right to critique political figures and movements through comedy.
The debate over Hanks’ portrayal highlights the ongoing cultural and political divides in America. As political satire continues to evolve, so too will discussions on how far comedians should go when addressing contentious topics. For now, the backlash serves as another example of the deep-rooted tensions that continue to define modern political discourse.
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