Tom Hanks made a surprise appearance on the 50th anniversary episode of Saturday Night Live (SNL) as Donald Trump supporter Doug, a character he first played eight years ago. The sketch sparked outrage among some Republicans on social media, with comments calling it “disgusting” and implying that Trump voters are racist.
However, co-hosts Joy Behar and Alyssa Farah Griffin from ABC’s The View defended Hanks’ appearance, saying that the backlash is overblown. Behar explained that many Trump supporters were misled about policies they thought would benefit them, such as lower grocery prices and inflation reductions.
Farrah Griffin added that the Republican Party has become a “big tent coalition” with many former Democrats, and that some of its members are offended by the idea that MAGA is racist.
In contrast, some users on social media criticized Hanks for wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat during the sketch. Victoria Jackson, an SNL alum, expressed her upset over the appearance, while others defended Hanks, saying he deserved an Oscar and calling his critics “snowflakes.”
Source: https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/tom-hanks-maga-backlash-snl-joy-behar-1236312142