Tom Hanks’ surprise return to Saturday Night Live during the SNL 50th anniversary special sparked a wave of backlash from Republicans, but in an unexpected twist, The View’s Joy Behar came to their defense—at least briefly.
Hanks reprised his 2016 role as Doug, a Trump supporter, during the now-controversial Black Jeopardy sketch. Wearing a red hat and sporting a rural accent, his character recoiled when Kenan Thompson’s game show host extended a congratulatory handshake, reigniting debates about the portrayal of conservatives in media.
For its 50 year anniversary special, SNL had Tom Hanks play a racist Trump supporter afraid to shake a black man’s hand. Fun fact: Trump’s 2024 election win was the LEAST racially divisive American election since 1964. pic.twitter.com/0gdocaaktH
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) February 17, 2025
While social media buzzed with criticism, Behar acknowledged why many found the skit offensive.
Behar stated during Monday’s episode of The View that the show made it appear as though everyone who voted for President Trump hates or fears Black people. “I personally would never do that, because I don’t believe that any group is one thing.”
However, Behar didn’t stop there. She quickly pivoted to her usual criticism, saying, “A lot of these people [who voted for Trump], in my opinion, have been misled. They thought that grocery prices would come down. They’re up. They thought inflation was coming down. It’s up. They thought that Medicaid was safe. It’s not. They thought Social Security was safe. It’s not. So it’s not only racism that caused Trump to be in office. We have to remember that. So of course they’re going to be insulted.”
Of course, Trump has only been in office for a single month. Changes to inflation takes months of work, something Behar likely knows.
Donald Trump sits down at an interview with Sean Hannity – YouTube, Fox News
Behar’s initial remarks stood out, especially considering The View’s reputation as a key platform for progressive opinions under the Disney and ABC umbrella. The show has faced challenges since the election, including co-host Sunny Hostin being required to read legal disclaimers after making questionable statements about prominent conservatives like Matt Gaetz.
The conversation on The View further highlighted the divide, with co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, who previously worked in the Trump White House, offering her perspective: “I personally think the outrage over it is a little overblown.”
A screenshot of the hosts of the View discussing politics – YouTube, The View
Meanwhile, the skit also drew criticism from other figures. SNL alum Victoria Jackson expressed her disappointment in an interview with TMZ, aligning with conservative commentator Link Lauren’s reaction on X, where he called the sketch “disgusting.”
As we covered previously, this attempt by SNL to revisit its popular 2016 Black Jeopardy sketch fell flat for many viewers, who saw it as an uninspired rehash that leaned into tired stereotypes. The backlash was further fueled by the fact that about 3 in 10 Black men under 45 voted for Trump in 2024, nearly double the support he received in 2020. This significant shift in voter demographics made the portrayal feel especially outdated and tone-deaf to many.
President Donald Trump speaks at CPAC in 2017 – YouTube, The New York Times
Once again, SNL finds itself in the middle of cultural debates, but the surprising defense from Behar—however brief—shows that even some of the most progressive voices are starting to recognize when the “comedy” goes too far.
What do you make of these Joy Behar SNL comments on the SNL sketch? Sound off in the comments below and let us know!
