Tom Hanks has ignited backlash from Donald Trump supporters following his appearance in a politically charged sketch on Saturday Night Live’s 50th-anniversary special.
On February 16, a star-studded lineup, including Meryl Streep, Martin Short, Jack Nicholson, and Aubrey Plaza, gathered in New York to celebrate five decades of the iconic sketch comedy show.
Hanks, known for his legendary Hollywood career, participated in a skit that didn’t sit well with some Trump supporters. During a parody game show segment, Black Jeopardy, the Forrest Gump star played a character named Doug—sporting a red “Make America Great Again” hat.
At one point in the sketch, host Kenan Thompson extended a handshake to Doug, who hesitated before finally shaking hands, saying, “Not a fan of that, whoa, whoa, whoa. Maybe I should make a show for you and call it White Jeopardy.”
The moment quickly drew criticism online, with some viewers accusing SNL of mocking Trump voters. One social media user wrote, “Tom Hanks went on SNL looking rough, making fun of millions of Trump supporters—portraying them as ignorant, racist country bumpkins. Keep it up, leftists. You’ll never win another election.”
Link Lauren, a former adviser to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also weighed in, tweeting: “Tom Hanks just played a MAGA supporter hesitant to shake a Black man’s hand on SNL. And they wonder why their ratings keep tanking. Trump won the majority vote. This outdated narrative that MAGA is racist is ridiculous. SNL is an unfunny show for elitist liberals.”
Other Trump supporters echoed similar frustrations, with one saying, “Nobody in the audience even laughed,” while another added, “This makes me so mad. SNL just painted all MAGA supporters as racists.”
What do you think about Hanks’ SNL appearance? Share your thoughts!
A heartfelt father-son duet by Phil and Nic Collins
As the Not Dead Yet Tour approached, legendary drummer Phil Collins began to experience nerve problems in his hand that made drumming increasingly difficult. To address this problem, he enlisted his son Nic Collins to take over drumming duties for the tour from 2016 to 2019. During a tour stop in Houston, the father-son duo shared a memorable moment when Nic walked up to the piano after Phil introduced him to the audience.
Phil revealed to the audience that Nic had discovered a song from his debut solo album, You Know What I Mean, that Phil himself liked. In a playful exchange, Phil joked about the number of songs Nic liked, and Nic clarified: “Two songs… mainly just one”. They then delivered a soulful performance of the song, with Phil on vocals and Nic on piano.
The performance was warmly received by Phil Collins’ fans, who were happy to see him perform live despite his health issues. The video of the performance has been viewed over 2.7 million times and many viewers were touched by the father-son collaboration. Comments praised the emotional connection and Nic’s obvious musical talent. One viewer remarked: “Wonderful to see father and son together like this”, and others confirmed: “Nic Collins has inherited Phil’s musical talent”.
The tour also allowed Nic to showcase his diverse musical skills, especially on the drums. At the same show in Houston, Nic demonstrated his drumming skills in a duet with percussionist Richie Garcia, impressing even his father. When Nic joined Richie and Phil for a cajon performance, the group developed into a dynamic drum trio.
After the tour ended in 2019, Nic continued to support his father as a drummer on the Genesis tour from 2020 to 2022. He also joined Mike and the Mechanics, the band led by his father’s Genesis bandmate Mike Rutherford, and showcased his drumming skills with them. In 2022, Nic released his solo project “Better Strangers”, which offers a deeper look into his drumming skills. With a promising future ahead of him, Nic Collins is ready to further his musical career while continuing his father’s legacy.
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