The conventional wisdom is that Alec Baldwin’s portrayal of President Trump is eerily accurate, but to me Baldwin just looks and sounds like a fatter, angrier Lloyd Bridges. Still, people seem to like it. SNL’s ratings have gone up. Unfortunately, the side gig that started as a goof the month before the 2016 election — “Hey, why not? Trump isn’t actually gonna win” — has now become a heavy burden on America’s finest actor.
Here he is, lamenting his fate to Mario Lopez from Saved By the Bell. ExtraTV.com:
Star Alec Baldwin has quickly become a fan favorite playing President Donald Trump on “Saturday Night Live,” but the actor isn’t sure how much longer he will do it…
Baldwin said he hoped things would have changed once Trump took office. “Trump just overwhelmingly lacks any sportsmanship, he remains, bitter, and angry, and you just want to look at him and go, ‘You won!’”
Not that Baldwin is wrong, but it’s a bit much to be lectured about anger issues by this guy:
A rich old white dude who has everything in life, yet lashes out at people he sees as beneath his station? No wonder he hates Trump so much.
But Baldwin hasn’t assaulted anybody lately, so I guess he gets a pass. Sounds like he’s tired of being angry all the time, both in real life and onscreen, because:
“The maliciousness of this White House has people worried… that’s why I’m not going to do it much longer, the impersonation, I don’t know how much more people can take it.”
Well, he could try honing the impersonation, I suppose. He could actually master Trump’s speech patterns and mannerisms, instead of letting the wig and ill-fitting suit do all the work. But that’s probably too much work for something he intended to be a hobby.
If SNL is looking for another Trump, there are plenty of talented impressionists out there who could do a better job than Baldwin. My current favorite is a guy named Anthony Atamauik:
Well, presumably they’d write some material for him. But the impression is solid. Give him a shot, Lorne!
(Hat tip: Jude Terror)