(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Saturday Night Live faced criticism for mocking the assassination attempts against President Donald Trump during its season premiere.
The joke occurred on Saturday when actor James Austin Johnson portrayed Trump during a fictitious rally, seemingly mocking the former president’s complaints about being shot.
“We love my rallies, except when someone does the ‘bing, bong, bing, bing, bing’ right at me,” Johnson said while mimicking a gun with his fingers.
“You know that happened because of the rhetoric of the radical left? They say that me blaming the Democrats for inciting violence is the pot calling the kettle black,” Johnson added.
Trump’s campaign criticized SNL on X, sharing the clip with the following caption: “There were two assassination attempts against President Trump within a span of seven weeks.”
There were two assassination attempts against President Trump within a span of seven weeks.@nbcsnl apparently finds that funny. Disgusting. pic.twitter.com/huSqKsrGhM
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 29, 2024
The skit followed Trump’s narrow escape from an assassination attempt on July 13 during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Corey Comperatore, a MAGA supporter and beloved former fire chief, was tragically killed while heroically shielding his two daughters and wife from gunfire.
Trump escaped a second assassination attempt on Sept. 15 when an alleged suspect, Ryan Routh, targeted him at a golf course.
Townhall columnist Dustin Grage rebuked SNL for downplaying the seriousness of the targeted attacks on Trump.
“There are a lot of jokes SNL can make with Trump impersonations. Just turn on TikTok, they are hilarious,” Grage wrote. “One of these scenarios isn’t an assasination [sic] attempt where an innocent man’s life was taken.”
Comedian Tim Young chimed in, saying, “SNL mocked Trump after he survived multiple ass*ss*nation attempts. But recall that when Hillary lost in 2016, they started their show like it was a funeral. They stopped being funny a long time ago.”
SNL mocked Trump after he survived multiple ass*ss*nation attempts.
But recall that when Hillary lost in 2016, they started their show like it was a funeral.
They stopped being funny a long time ago. pic.twitter.com/qjAKJ3j2Cc pic.twitter.com/6otGWnzA20
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) September 29, 2024
Beyond mocking Trump, SNL poked fun at President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Watch these skits below.
Guess what, and by the way, Joe Biden is still president #SNLPremiere pic.twitter.com/QpldD6NFSS
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) September 29, 2024
Doug Emhoff, second gentlemensch #SNLPremiere pic.twitter.com/E08g5htG7C
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) September 29, 2024
Tim Walz hasn’t been this excited since he got a 10% rebate on a leaf blower from a Menards #SNLPremiere pic.twitter.com/HEL9p7NDNS
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) September 29, 2024
Eric Adams, New York City legend #SNLPremiere pic.twitter.com/bTfAPYc5MR
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) September 29, 2024
