Megyn Kelly has taken a strong stance against Tom Hanks for his appearance in a controversial Saturday Night Live (SNL) sketch during the show’s 50th anniversary special. In the skit, Hanks reprised his role as Doug, a caricature of a Trump-supporting MAGA voter originally introduced in the 2016 “Black Jeopardy” segment.
The character, portrayed with a red MAGA hat, an American flag T-shirt, and a thick Southern accent, interacted with host Darnell Hayes, played by Kenan Thompson, along with contestants Eddie Murphy, Tracy Morgan, and Leslie Jones. However, the portrayal has sparked significant backlash from conservatives and media critics alike.
Megyn Kelly criticized Hanks on her SiriusXM podcast, The Megyn Kelly Show, for what she deemed an offensive stereotype of Trump supporters. “I’m sure Tom Hanks is worth a billion dollars,” Kelly said. “And you know who got it for him? All of us… who went to see ‘Forrest Gump,’ ‘Big,’ and all the fun Tom Hanks movies and never once thought that he was judging them as stupid, rural, worth-nothing racists.”
She expressed disappointment in Hanks for stepping into a role that she felt betrayed the audience that helped make him a Hollywood icon. “It was shocking to see somebody who tries so carefully not to be too divisive in his choices to come right out and suggest he thinks Trump supporters are racists. Shame on him.”
Tom Hanks’ SNL sketch sparks outrage with some journalists
Critics outside the podcast also weighed in on the controversy. Journalist Matt Taibbi called the character “lazy and one-dimensional,” adding, “This is an old trope in media and in comedy. It’s the urban sophisticate picking on the rural hayseed. But you have to be accurate… The caricature has to be true in some way, not just some stereotyped idea you picked up by not observing people in real life.”
Author Walter Kirn, who appeared as a guest on Kelly’s podcast, echoed these sentiments. “I didn’t know that Tom Hanks would stoop to this kind of thing,” Kirn remarked. “It is terrible writing, it was a terrible skit, and he was the big loser.”
The controversy has extended beyond media circles, with many Trump supporters accusing SNL of perpetuating divisive propaganda. Former RFK Jr. aide Link Lauren cited the skit as an example of why the show’s ratings are declining.
