It’s been awhile since the president of the United States railed against a comedy program that airs when most people are getting drunk at bars. But something about the most recent Saturday Night Live got under Donald J. Trump’s skin. Perhaps it was all that free time he had during the “national emergency” he just declared, but he definitely spent Sunday morning as he often does: in rage-tweet mode.
Nothing funny about tired Saturday Night Live on Fake News NBC! Question is, how do the Networks get away with these total Republican hit jobs without retribution? Likewise for many other shows? Very unfair and should be looked into. This is the real Collusion!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2019
Trump was possibly enraged by the “cold open,” in which Alec Baldwin made his billionth appearance on the show in the guise of Trump himself. This time Baldwin’s DJT prattled through justifications for his national emergency, not exactly hiding the likelihood that even he knows there’s no serious border crisis afoot. Whatever the case, it inspired him to both prove again he’s not 100% sure what “collusion” even means and, in a subsequent tweet, to repeat a classic line.
THE RIGGED AND CORRUPT MEDIA IS THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2019
While Trump was predictably praised by his legion of dittoheads, he was also demeaned for being angry that a comedy program was making jokes about him.
https://twitter.com/poniewozik/status/1097139523283226626
Alec Baldwin hit a nerve. #SNL https://t.co/0cgdZcV2bH
— Aisha Sultan (@AishaS) February 17, 2019
He might have even inspired those who don’t enjoy SNL to check it out.
https://twitter.com/pedrodias/status/1097134900300398592
Some pointed out that there’s a “national emergency” going on right now, right?
You want to… investigate a TV show that you've hosted because you don't like how they parody you and your party? This is what you're focused on during your "national emergency?" Oh. https://t.co/Jkv3V3J1PJ
— Bärí A. Williams, Esq. (@BariAWilliams) February 17, 2019
Others weren’t amused. They saw it as a clear case of censorship.
And this is how censorship is introduced… Government takes it upon itself to fix the problems with the news. https://t.co/UdVVyF8PJV
— gathara (@gathara) February 17, 2019
And of First Amendment trampling.
https://twitter.com/svdate/status/1097117079721762816
Some compared him to his good friend, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
Whoa. Saturday Night Live is humorous satire. Trump’s personal anger against freedom of speech and dissent in our country is reminiscent to North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Russia’s Putin. Trump is becoming increasingly unhinged. This is very concerning.
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) February 17, 2019
Or to one of the many garden variety autocrats he’s often praised.
This is the President of the United States saying that comedy and satire criticizing him should be looked into and wonders why the networks don’t face retribution.
Donald thinks like an autocrat but lucky for us, he has the mental discipline of a toddler.https://t.co/3zaZWF1Jck
— Ahmed Baba (@AhmedBaba_) February 17, 2019
Some pointed out who’s really popular here.
SNL has twice the approval rating as Donald Trump.
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) February 17, 2019
Others pointed out that Alec Baldwin’s Trump is, if anything, smarter than Trump.
Alec Baldwin's Trump comes off as smarter and more likeable than the actual trump.
— Cori McGinty (@CoriMcGinty) February 17, 2019
Others re-posted that instantly famous photo of him spending the second day of his national emergency at the omelette bar.
https://twitter.com/Anthony/status/1097161164386168832
And the great Tim Heidecker reminded him that even bad comedy deserves freedom.
The first amendment protects very bad impressions, sir! https://t.co/T5VCiByPLm
— Tim Heidecker™ Official (@timheidecker) February 17, 2019