What Tom Hanks Really Said on SNL That Sparked Backlash

In the original “Black Jeopardy!” scene, Doug avoided shaking host Darnell Hayes’s hand—played by Kenan Thompson—and casually suggested a spin-off called “White Jeopardy!” during the exchange. The new tribute saw Hanks revisit that same persona. Once Doug got a correct answer, Darnell offered a handshake, only to have Doug decline, uttering an awkward “oh no no.” Then Doug quipped about creating a version of the show tailored for white participants. This little snippet ignited the Tom Hanks SNL controversy among Republican viewers who felt singled out.

I was surprised when the Tom Hanks SNL controversy flared up, with Republican viewers especially annoyed by his latest sketch on the 50th anniversary show. The performance included a callback to Hanks’s “Black Jeopardy!” character named Doug, originally from a 2016 SNL episode. Doug was portrayed as a Donald Trump supporter, complete with a MAGA hat. And this time around, the skit reignited arguments on social media over political stereotypes and comedic boundaries.

Some conservative fans took to social media to say Hanks mocked them and labeled them all as “slobs.” One user claimed the entire bit was a desperate attempt to poke fun at half the country. Another vowed to boycott Hanks’s films in the future. Critics argued that the reference to “White Jeopardy!” implied SNL was ridiculing millions of Americans. Despite the backlash, plenty of viewers saw it as standard political satire—especially given SNL’s long history of skewering current events. Even so, the Tom Hanks SNL controversy underscores how divisive political humor can be nowadays.

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