I was surprised when theย Tom Hanks SNL controversyย flared up, with Republican viewers especially annoyed by his latest sketch on the 50th anniversary show. The performance included a callback to Hanksโs โBlack Jeopardy!โ character named Doug, originally from a 2016 SNL episode. Doug was portrayed as a Donald Trump supporter, complete with a MAGA hat. And this time around, the skit reignited arguments on social media over political stereotypes and comedic boundaries.
Revisiting the Sketch
In the original โBlack Jeopardy!โ scene, Doug avoided shaking host Darnell Hayesโs handโplayed by Kenan Thompsonโand casually suggested a spin-off called โWhite Jeopardy!โ during the exchange. The new tribute saw Hanks revisit that same persona. Once Doug got a correct answer, Darnell offered a handshake, only to have Doug decline, uttering an awkward โoh no no.โ Then Doug quipped about creating a version of the show tailored for white participants. This little snippet ignited theย Tom Hanks SNL controversyย among Republican viewers who felt singled out.
Social Media Outrage
Some conservative fans took to social media to say Hanks mocked them and labeled them all as โslobs.โ One user claimed the entire bit was a desperate attempt to poke fun at half the country. Another vowed to boycott Hanksโs films in the future. Critics argued that the reference to โWhite Jeopardy!โ implied SNL was ridiculing millions of Americans. Despite the backlash, plenty of viewers saw it as standard political satireโespecially given SNLโs long history of skewering current events. Even so, theย Tom Hanks SNL controversyย underscores how divisive political humor can be nowadays.
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