For the first time since 2004, Donald Trump will be the host of “Saturday Night Live.”
Trump will be surrounded by some of the greats Nov. 7: Gilly, Stefon and Target Lady.
I am, of course, talking about famous “SNL” characters because that is exactly what Donald Trump is. He’s a character — a joke. He’s the running gag of the 2016 presidential race.
Trump will be participating in sketches with the rest of the cast and, in theory, will be working with them as a team of equal players. However, it is clear Trump prefers to spell team with an “I.”
In his first monologue as host of the show in 2004, he referred to himself as a “ratings machine” because of his TV success and brags that “no one is bigger” or “better” than him.
“I’m about to become the highest paid TV personality in America,” he said after the then-new “Apprentice” series’ successful first season in 2004. “And, as everyone in this room knows, highest-paid means best, right?”
The audience laughed after that little moment, but given what he has said during his recent GOP run, was it really a joke?
While he might not be much of an encouraging or supportive teammate, Trump offers so much in the way of content for the show. Arguably, every phrase that comes out of his mouth could be made into a sketch.
So what can we expect from this episode of “SNL”? Perhaps a sketch about a father who admits he would date his own daughter if they weren’t related. Maybe a scene where Trump goes on a picnic with Jay Pharoah and Kenan Thompson to display his, as he put it in 2011, “great relationship with the blacks.”
Or, best of all, a dark comedic sketch that depicts life after the Great Wall of Trump.
My true hope from this TV feature is instead of merely gaining more name recognition, Trump will gain more recognition as a man we do not want to lead our country.
If his ridiculous claims about race, women, money and his own intelligence were not enough to deter voters, maybe his depiction as the butt of some nationally televised jokes will be enough.
The CBS News polling data has Trump as the frontrunner at 27 percent, six points ahead of second-place Ben Carson.
It is completely unacceptable for a man whose policies could be punch lines in a late night television variety show to be this far ahead in polls.
If it were acceptable, it would only make sense that we elect Lorne Michaels.
meickhof@indiana.edu
@maggie_eickhoff
