Alec Baldwin has played Donald Trump on SNL somewhere between one and 43,024 times, to increasingly diminishing returns. Even the 30 Rock star thinks he’s doing a “mediocre” job. “We did it like once a month, this season. Last season, I did it a bunch, and the season before that — the first season — I did it almost every show. I think I did it every show,” Baldwin recently said. “And I think people are, uh, they want a little bit less of that. And whether I do it much longer, remains to be seen.” It sounds like we have our answer.
While promoting his new film Framing John DeLorean (yes, THAT DeLorean), Baldwin told USA Today that he’s “so done” impersonating the president on SNL, even if “black people love me” for doing it. “I had a lot of fun with [the cast], and when Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider wrote [Trump sketches in 2016 and 2017], that was new, it was fresh, and the ratings were good. But I feel like I’m done with that now. I’m so done with that,” he said. If Baldwin isn’t bluffing and he’s actually finished with Trump, then his final appearance would be the season 44 finale when he sang, ironically, “Don’t Stop Me Now.”
As for who Baldwin would like to take over, he praised Darrell Hammond’s take on Trump, but was especially effusive about how good Anthony Atamanuik’s impression is. “When Anthony Atamanuik [started Comedy Central’s The President Show], all these people were attacking me, saying, ‘Oh, your impression sucks and you suck. Please go away.’ It also was something I thought to myself: ‘I really don’t have a lot invested in my Trump impersonation, so please find someone and convince Lorne to replace me.” I’m completely down with that. Winning the Emmy for that show aside, it was not some career goal of mine,” he said, adding, “So if [Atamanuik] wants the job, it’s his. He can have it.” Or — and here’s a crazy thought — give it to an actual cast member.
(Via USA Today)
