Saturday Night Live’s (SNL) 50th anniversary special on February 15, 2025, was supposed to be a celebration of comedy and nostalgia. But one sketch, in particular, has been burning up in a firestorm of controversy. Tom Hanks returned to play Doug, a MAGA-hat-wearing Trump backer, in the hit “Black Jeopardy” sketch. Although the sketch was intended to be comedic, it has upset many MAGA supporters, who believe it unfairly depicts them as racist and out of touch.
The Drawing That Triggered the Outrage
In the sketch “Black Jeopardy,” Tom Hanks portrays Doug, a blue-collar white guy sporting a “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) hat, who participates in a trivia game catered to Black culture. Doug stuns the crowd with his correct answers, having more in common with the contestants who look like him than they could have realized. But the sketch takes a controversial turn in that Doug — played by Daveed Diggs — falters on shaking hands with the host, Darnell Hayes (played by Kenan Thompson).
Doug’s hesitation to shake hands references the original 2016 sketch in which he also hesitated before ultimately shaking Hayes’ hand. This time, Doug says jokingly, “Maybe I’ll launch a show that you come onto, and we’ll call it ‘White Jeopardy.’ ” Hayes immediately replies, “We don’t need it. The moment, intended to underscore cultural differences, has been interpreted by many as a dig at MAGA supporters.
MAGA’s Reaction
Many Trump supporters were not pleased with the sketch and took to social media to show their outrage. Conservative commentators and influencers claimed SNL was reinforcing antiquated stereotypes and branding a large segment of its audience as outsiders.
Link Lauren, a former adviser to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., described the sketch as “disgusting,” and condemned SNL for its plummeting ratings. “Maybe this show wonders why their ratings are in the gutter,” he wrote on X. Trump won the popular vote. This hoary trope that MAGA is racist is revolting. SNL is an unfunny snobbish liberal elite show.”
The conservative podcaster Benny Johnson reflected similar hurt in his commentary, writing, “SNL thought it was funny to portray Tom Hanks as a ‘Racist Trump Supporter’ in a MAGA Hat scared to shake a Black man’s hand. Donald Trump just achieved a landslide election victory and is more popular than ever with Americans. They have learned nothing”.
Other MAGA supporters criticized SNL for lacking an understanding of what it was like to cater to the realities of Trump’s diverse voter base. They argued that Trump has built substantial support among minority voters, rendering the sketch’s depiction of MAGA supporters as racist stale and incorrect.
Defending the Sketch
The sketch did not offend everyone, however. Some viewers interpreted it as a clever take on cultural differences and the common bonds that exist between working-class Americans, regardless of race. Joy Behar of The View defended the sketch, saying, “The fact remains that they’re making anybody who voted for Trump a racist, and that’s why they’re furious.” Trump had “misled” many of his supporters, who had voted for him based on his economic promises, which he failed to deliver on, she added.
Another co-host of The View, Sunny Hostin, said the sketch was “subversive,” pointing to the way Black culture permeates American culture. She also noted that Doug’s reluctance to shake hands could be a nod at a real-life incident involving Republican Sen. Deb Fischer’s husband, who was accused of refusing to shake Vice President Kamala Harris’ hand earlier in the year.
The Bigger Picture
The debate over the “Black Jeopardy” sketch illustrates the deep cultural and political fault lines in the United States. SNL has always volunteered to go after the politicians of the day, but in a time of unprecedented polarization, even comedy has become a locus of outrage.
For some, the sketch echoed the unifying message of the original 2016 version, in which Doug and the Black contestants were able to find common ground between them despite their differences. But given the backdrop of Trump’s second term and his increasing support among minority voters, the sketch’s humor fell flat for many.
What’s Next?
The controversy shines a light on divisive political views, people lied heavily on, and how political views can affect people/views on said comedy.
