People upset at Tom Hanks’ portrayal of MAGA character

Tom Hanks is frequently regarded as a national treasure due to his immense popularity across the United States. The actor boasts a lengthy career, having portrayed numerous iconic characters that have left a lasting impression on audiences.

Each individual has their preferred character from Hanks’ extensive filmography, whether it be the naive Forrest Gump or the anxious Chuck Noland from Cast Away. There is a shared fondness for specific roles he has embodied.

Recently, however, Hanks revisited a previous character, a decision that did not sit well with everyone. Further details follow.

This past weekend, Hanks joined a host of other celebrities on Saturday Night Live, which commemorated its 50th anniversary with a special three-hour episode.

In the sketch titled Black Jeopardy, Hanks donned the recognizable red MAGA hat and portrayed a character named Doug, exuding a folksy, conservative demeanor. This was not Hanks’ first appearance in this role.

Kenan Thompson revived a long-standing sketch that parodies the classic game show Jeopardy! Hanks reprised his role as Doug.

“If more folks went to church, we wouldn’t be in this mess we’re in now,” Hanks delivered with a pronounced southern accent.

Thompson, playing Darnell Hayes, the host of the show, approached Doug for a handshake, to which Doug hesitated, exclaiming, “Don’t like that, whoa, whoa, whoa,” prompting Hayes to respond, “It’s just a handshake.” Eventually, Doug relented and extended his hand.

“Maybe I’ll start a show for you to come on and we’ll call it ‘White Jeopardy,’” Doug suggested.

“We don’t need it,” Darnell Hayes retorted. However, many viewers took issue with Hanks’ depiction of Doug.

“Tom Hanks just came out on the SNL 50th anniversary special in a MAGA hat, doing a skit, where he acted like he didn’t want to shake a black man’s hand,” one user commented on X. “This is why SNL is in the toilet.”
Critics have labeled him a racist due to his character portrayal. One individual commented, “Tom Hanks is a racist for exploiting racism. We are tired of your racist agenda, Tom. How can you dishonor your own heritage in this manner? Elite piece of scum.”

Another user expressed their offense at Hanks’ depiction of Doug, stating, “Faux Tom Hanks just appeared on the SNL 50th anniversary special wearing a MAGA hat, participating in a skit where he pretended to refuse to shake a black man’s hand. This is why SNL is struggling.”

Some viewers found the sketch and character to be polarizing, with one remarking, “Tom Hanks’ SNL skit was disappointing. It was cringe-worthy, tone-deaf, and divisive. SNL needs to improve.”

The three-hour live special featured a variety of sketches, with the Black Jeopardy sketch being among the first presented. Other characters in the sketch included Leslie Jones as Shanice, Tracy Morgan as Darius, and Eddie Murphy as the individual next to him, Tracy Morgan. The sketch opens with Thompson stating: “Welcome to ‘Black Jeopardy,’ the only ‘Jeopardy’ where every viewer fully comprehended Kendrick’s halftime performance.”

Chris Rock was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1990 to 1993 and made a brief appearance as the host.

Hanks first portrayed Doug nearly a decade ago in a 2016 segment for the same sketch, where Doug’s character similarly hesitated to shake the host’s hand.

The character and sketch were crafted by then-co-head writers Bryan Tucker and Michael Che.

“I am white, but during my formative years, the comedians I admired were predominantly black,” Tucker remarked in a 2018 interview with Vulture.

In the same interview, Kenan Thompson took a moment to commend Hanks’ portrayal of Doug, stating that the actor successfully made the character more ‘human.’

“His portrayal of a character so far removed from his own beliefs was incredibly bold,” the comedian noted in the interview.
Tucker also remembered that Hanks mentioned Oprah had reached out to him to discuss the sketch, which Tucker described as “cool.”

The perspectives on Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Doug appear to be quite polarized. What are your thoughts on this sketch? We invite you to share your opinions in the comments.