SNL not done with mocking Trump
From his appearance to his political aides, the new US President is comedy gold for Saturday Night Live
For almost two years, Americans were riveted to their television sets watching the election process unfold, as a reality show host dismantled 17 opponents in the American general election.
And Mr Donald Trump has changed every rule of politics, and indeed, normal behaviour.
Comedians have had a field day as his daily outrages are mined for comedy gold.
Then, there is Saturday Night Live (SNL).
This comedy sketch show has a long tradition of political humour.
When Chevy Chase made fun of ex-president Gerald Ford and his habit of constantly falling over, his re-election was toast.
Tina Fey lampooned Mrs Sarah Palin and look how that ended up. People still think Mrs Palin really said: "I can see Russia from my house", which was actually one of Fey's lines.
Now there is Alec Baldwin with his devastating impersonation of Mr Trump, complete with ratty yellow wig, orange face, wildly gesticulating hands and pouty mouth.
SNL has sent up Mr Trump numerous times through the election season, and it isn't letting up now with his presidency.
Baldwin has played him at press briefings showing up his belligerent ignorance.
Before that, there were the debates with Ms Hillary Clinton (played by Kate McKinnon); the interactions with a bare-chested Vladimir Putin (played by Beck Bennett); and the love fest between him and senior adviser Steven Bannon, dressed as the grim reaper, pulling his strings.
In fact, #PresidentBannon had been trending on Twitter.
Mr Trump wasted no time with the angry tweets.
"Not funny, cast is terrible, always a complete hit job. Really bad television!" was one.
"Unwatchable! Totally biased, not funny and the Baldwin impersonation just can't get any worse. Sad," read another one.
(Baldwin's return tweet was hilarious - "Release your tax returns and I'll stop. Ha.")
And another dimension has been added to the satire. The cast knows Mr Trump is watching and pulls no punches.
The coup de grace came two Saturdays ago, with three Trump sketches.
Mr Trump had earlier raged 11 times against Kristen Stewart when she and then-boyfriend Robert Pattinson broke up, telling Pattinson to never take her back as she was a cheater.
Stewart then hosted SNL, referenced all 11 tweets regarding Pattinson, dropped the "f" bomb and said: "Donald, if you didn't like me then, you're really probably not going to like me now because I'm hosting SNL, and I'm like, so gay, dude."
In the same show was the cold open with Mr Trump alongside grim reaper Bannon, making calls to world leaders, threatening war and hanging up, till he met his match with Zimbabwe.
Then he was relegated to the little boy desk to play with a toy as Mr Bannon took his seat behind the presidential desk.
And then Melissa McCarthy did a diabolical impression of Press Secretary Sean Spicer, with slicked back hair and too-loose suit, screaming at journalists at a press briefing.
From Politico online came this quote about Mr Trump's reaction to McCarthy's performance - "More than being lampooned as a press secretary who makes up facts, it was Spicer's portrayal by a woman that was most problematic in the President's eyes".
There is speculation that Mr Spicer is not likely to last long after this takedown.
"Trump doesn't like his people to look weak," Politico quoted a top donor as saying.
The Internet went wild with casting suggestions.
The one that even made the television news was that his arch-enemy Rosie O'Donnell should play Mr Bannon.
Many speculated that it would drive Mr Trump over the edge.
"I'm here to serve" tweeted O'Donnell.
Sadly, O'Donnell didn't get to play Mr Bannon in the last show that aired, but it is going to be a long four years, so who knows?
Though African-American SNL cast member Leslie Jones got to play Mr Trump, I'm beside myself waiting for that reaction.
And McCarthy got to return, even more maniacally, as Mr Spicer - wearing Ms Ivanka Trump high heels.
It is not just Mr Trump that SNL is going after, it is his entire inner circle.
Season 42 of SNL is the most watched season in 22 years.
Catch the skits on YouTube.
They're all there.
When the chips are down, there is only comedy.
SNL's political parodies
- Chevy Chase constantly ridiculed President Gerald Ford in the 1970s as being accident-prone, becoming the first comedian to make fun of a president, reported The New York Times.
- Tina Fey lampooned Mrs Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska, as being a busty bimbo. Mrs Palin even appeared with Fey on SNL in 2008.
- Alec Baldwin has been so good at impersonating Mr Donald Trump on SNL that Dominican newspaper, El Nacional, thought Baldwin was Mr Trump. It mistakenly published a photo of Baldwin, dressed as Mr Trump, last week. It later apologised for the gaffe.
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