It has been a year since Alec Baldwin took over the role of Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live, earning an Emmy for his portrayal of the controversial president while drawing more eyes to the show than it has seen in years. Despite the success and the adoration from most in the public, Baldwin seems to be showing doubts about playing the president and what his portrayal means for public perception. Much like Will Ferrell’s imitation of George W. Bush made him more likeable than he likely would have been on his own, Baldwin feels the new SNL version of Trump might make the president seem too “cuddly.”
Baldwin says as much on his Here’s The Thing podcast while chatting with Bernie Sanders, asking the senator his thoughts on SNL’s take on Washington’s current political climate and if it is doing any harm according to The Hollywood Reporter:
“In terms of Trump, do you think we’re making him kind of too cuddly and too funny and we’re taking people’s mind off something really more serious?” he asks. Sanders replies that he thinks “what we have to focus on [with] Trump, is what he is doing” as opposed to the “absurd” things he says.
He also asks Sanders what he thought about Larry David’s portrayal of him on the show, joking that the Curb Your Enthusiasm creator was better than the real thing. Sanders closed out the remarkable season premiere of Finding Your Roots on PBS with a similar sentiment, but it was nothing compared to Larry David discovering his family’s slave-owning past. The moment they find out they are related is the cherry on top of a great episode, though.
As for Baldwin, there is still someone in waiting that could take over if he’s done with the role.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)
