For ‘SNL,’ Donald Trump is the gift that keeps on giving
NEW YORK — Already enjoying its best ratings in eight years with politically charged comedy, “Saturday Night Live” got something even more beneficial with Donald Trump’s potshots — validation.
Hours after seeing himself portrayed by Alec Baldwin opposite Kate McKinnon’s Hillary Clinton impersonation for the third straight week, the Republican presidential candidate took to Twitter to complain. He called the opening skit a hit job, and said Baldwin’s impersonation stinks. “Time to retire the boring and unfunny show,” Trump tweeted.
“Trump doing this is like an endorsement for the rest of the world,” said David Bianculli, author of the upcoming book “The Platinum Age of Television.”
Less than a year ago, the venerable NBC late-night show earned big ratings — and a lot of heat — for having Trump as a guest host. Critics savaged the show. NBC, which that summer had gone out of the beauty pageant business with Trump after his comments about Mexican immigrants and cut ties with him on “Celebrity Apprentice” after he announced his presidential bid, was questioned about whether it was inconsistent to bring him on as “SNL” host.