Ottawa Citizen

MAKING SNL GREAT AGAIN?

Alec Baldwin to play Trump

- ELAHE IZADI Washington Post

It wasn’t clear who would be impersonat­ing Donald Trump during upcoming season of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. We now have our answer, and it’s a familiar face: Alec Baldwin.

Trump had previously been impersonat­ed by former cast member Darrell Hammond and Taran Killam, whose contract wasn’t renewed for the show ’s 42nd season.

SNL previewed its mock debate between Baldwin-as-Trump and Kate McKinnon-as-Hillary Clinton. (McKinnon won an Emmy this month for her role on SNL and, in her acceptance speech, thanked Clinton.)

Baldwin is a longtime friend of the show and has hosted 16 times, more than anyone. He has used the series to showcase comedic chops he didn’t typically display in his other projects — at least until he starred in 30 Rock, which, like SNL, features Lorne Michaels as executive producer.

When Trump hosted SNL last November, the show faced controvers­y, bad reviews and big ratings.

The show doesn’t usually announce or promote cameos ahead of an episode. But the election is less than a couple of months away, and political satire is SNL’s bread and butter.

SNL has been knocking it out of the park with actors performing cameo political impersonat­ions. Tina Fey won an Emmy for playing Sarah Palin. And Larry David as Bernie Sanders was bafflingly spoton — the comedian had to do so little to play Sanders so perfectly.

But it’s unclear what Baldwin’s take on Trump will be. He doesn’t appear to have performed as Trump publicly before, although he does have a knack for impersonat­ions.

Saturday’s show will be hosted by Margot Robbie, with musical guest The Weeknd.

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