Names and faces
Alec Baldwin, who has scored in guest shots on Saturday Night Live with his mocking impersonation of Donald Trump since the campaign’s final weeks, presided Saturday night as guest host of the NBC comedy show, serving up yet another Trump masquerade. In his spoof, Trump made good on a tweeted vow to “see you in court” directed at the three 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges who last week refused to lift a stay preventing his immigration ban from being enforced. His chosen venue: The People’s Court, where he was suing the three judges. “I’m right, they’re wrong,” Baldwin-as-Trump said. “I want the travel ban reinstated. I also want $725.” Then, as a character witness, he calls in Russian President Vladimir Putin, played by Beck Bennett, who praised Trump as “my little American Happy Meal.” SNL cast member Kate McKinnon later stole the show: On “Weekend Update,” she depicted Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who last week was silenced by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in the midst of final debate over the confirmation of Jeff Sessions, Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Also in the show, McKinnon was almost unrecognizable as newly sworn-in Sessions himself, played as drawling and ghoulish.
Hidden Figures and Taraji P. Henson had a big night at the NAACP Image Awards, where Hollywood glamour shared the stage with somber remarks from the director of Washington’s new black heritage museum. Hidden Figures, the fact-based drama about the contributions of black female mathematicians to the U.S. space program, won the award for best movie Saturday, while star Henson was honored as best actress. “There are roles you accept that scare you. And this one did, because I failed math,” said Henson, recalling that she grew up in a time when math and science were supposed to be “just for boys.” She added, “I made it my mission to do this film. This film was very important. It was bigger than me. … People are seeing it because it’s important.” Denzel Washington added to his awards haul for Fences, winning the trophy for best movie actor.