Joy Behar recently defended the backlash over Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Donald Trump supporters during the Saturday Night Live 50th-anniversary special. On the February 19 episode of The View, Behar remarked that the sketch unfairly portrayed anyone who voted for Trump as "a racist."
She explained, "The fact remains that they're making anyone who voted for Trump look like a racist, and that's why they're mad." Behar added that she would never generalize any group of people in such a way, as she believes that people should not be stereotyped.
In the controversial skit, Hanks reprised his role as Doug, a character who wears a MAGA hat and performs surprisingly well on the mock game show Black Jeopardy. In the new version, Doug refuses to shake hands with the host, Darnell Hayes, played by Kenan Thompson. The sketch was instantly criticized by many Trump supporters, who felt it unfairly depicted their views.
Behar argued that many MAGA Republicans were “misled” by Trump, voting for him under the assumption that he would address economic issues like inflation and rising living costs. She emphasized, "It's not only racism that caused Trump to be in office. We have to remember that."
While Behar stood firm in her defense of the sketch, co-host Sonny Hostin had a different perspective, calling the sketch "subversive" and suggesting that Doug's refusal to shake hands could reference a real-life incident involving Republican Sen. Deb Fischer's husband, who was accused of refusing to shake Kamala Harris’ hand. Behar disagreed, maintaining that indirect political jokes like those made by Steve Martin were more acceptable because they didn’t attack individual groups.
Republicans have voiced strong objections to the SNL skit, with some even calling the portrayal of Trump voters "disgusting." Right-wing influencer Dominick McGee criticized Hanks, accusing him of disrespecting Trump supporters, while SNL alum Victoria Jackson slammed the anniversary special, noting that it lacked balance in its political humor.
Despite the controversy, Behar's defense of the skit has reignited discussions about how Trump supporters are depicted in the media. With ongoing tensions surrounding political satire, it remains to be seen how the debate will evolve in the coming weeks.
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