Featured Image Credit: Chris Haston/NBC via Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, Tom Hanks, Celebrity, US News, TV And Film
Rhianna Benson
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, Tom Hanks, Celebrity, US News, TV And Film
Tom Hanks seemingly predicted that he'd spark backlash for the 'Make America Great Again' skit he took part in during an appearance on Saturday Night Live over the weekend.
The much-loved actor, 68, set tongues wagging on Saturday night (16 February) for the 50th anniversary of the comedy hit, alongside a whole host of fellow big-name stars.
With the likes of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, Jenna Ortega, Kim Kardashian, Scarlett Johansson, Jason Momoa and Kevin Costner sitting in the audience, Hanks took part in a controversial sketch that poked fun at right-wing voters.
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The joke saw the star reprise his Black Jeopardy character, Doug, by wearing a MAGA baseball cap and refusing to shake hands with Darnell Hayes (Kenan Thompson).
The sketch also saw Doug mention starting a show 'for you to come on', which he calls 'White Jeopardy'.
Naturally, the joke sparked backlash from thousands of right-wing voters, many of whom slammed Hanks for using his on-screen appearance to mock supporters of the newly sworn-in president, Donald Trump.
However, the Toy Story voice actor seemed to predict earlier in the show that he'd rub some viewers up the wrong way.
In his opening monologue, Hanks explained that he'd be kicking off with an 'In Memoriam' segment, with viewers expecting the father-of-four to reflect on the lives lost in the last five decades.
"As we celebrate the achievement of 50 years, we must also take a moment to honor those who we’ve lost," he solemnly said. "Countless members of the SNL family were taken from us too soon."
Instead of showing the faces of past cast members, however, Hanks delivered a joke, discussing the skits that had their beginnings on the show, that have now been cancelled.
"I’m talking, of course, about SNL characters and sketches that have aged horribly," he added.
The Saving Private Ryan star then took aim at viewers, highlighting the part they played in seeing sketches age poorly.
"But even though these characters, accents, and… let’s just call them 'ethnic’'wigs were unquestionably in poor taste, you all laughed at them," he continued.
"So if anyone should be canceled, shouldn’t it be you, the audience? Something to think about. Anyway, we now present to you this In Memoriam."
The joke seemingly caught audience members off guard, many of whom were later seen in stitches.
With many right-wing voters, however, his later MAGA jibe didn't quite land.
"Tom Hanks went on SNL dressed like a slob mocking millions of Trump supporters..." one critic hit out. "Keep it up libs.
"You'll never win another election again."
Another wrote: "Tom Hanks was just disrespecting every Republican on SNL as he was dressed up as a Trump supporter with a MAGA hat."