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This weekend, Alec Baldwin will be making Saturday Night Live history, hosting the show for a record 17th time. Baldwin’s invitation to host makes a lot of sense. The former 30 Rock star has been a friend of the historic sketch show, its cast members, and NBC as a whole for years now. Also, Baldwin’s Donald Trump impression has gone a long way in transforming the show from forgettable to one of the best and most relevant comedies currently on the air.
I understand all this, and I’m very happy for Baldwin. However, giving Baldwin a coveted hosting spot this season seems like a wasted opportunity.
I have no doubts that this week’s episode of Saturday Night Live will be a good one. Baldwin’s Trump is only getting better (and more childlike as we saw from last week). Also, between SNL’s portrayal of Steve Bannon as the Grim Reaper and Melissa McCarthy’s brilliant take on press secretary Sean Spicer, the sketch show has proven it’s willing to be more politically relevant and biting than ever. The top-notch sketches Saturday Night Live has produced throughout 2016 and 2017 are a far cry from Trump’s toothless hosting job in 2015. However, at this point in the season, we know what Baldwin will do. We know that most, if not all, of his sketches will be mocking Trump. While this week’s sketches are sure to be hilarious and are sure to infuriate our president (something that SNL seems to take pride in), giving Baldwin a coveted hosting spot this season is taking the privilege from someone else.
This season more than most has featured a variety of diverse actors, performers, and comedians who have had no problems being overtly political. This season we’ve seen Lin-Manuel Miranda rap about how Trump’s never gonna be president now (whoops, called that wrong), fan favorite Tom Hanks dominate on “Black Jeopardy” and lecture us all as America’s dad, Dave Chappelle bring down the house with his post-election monologue, Aziz Ansari speak about “the lower case k.k.k. movement,” and Kristen Stewart flaunt her sexuality in front a president who, in Stewart’s own words does not like her. Hosting SNL is no longer merely a fun honor. It’s a position of power, giving performers the opportunity to access to an audience of listening millions. As we know, that audience includes the president himself.
When Saturday Night Live is at the top of its game and the top of its power, turning over the job of host to Baldwin, who has been on the show almost every week, feels misguided. There are a ton of incredible and diverse performers that would benefit from SNL’s spotlight. If you want award winners and nominees, look no further than Fences’ Viola Davis or Denzel Washington, Hidden Figures’ Octavia Spencer or Taraji P. Henson, Atlanta’s Donald Glover, The People v. O.J.’s Sarah Paulson, Lion’s Dev Patel, or Black-ish’s Tracee Ellis Ross or Anthony Anderson. Want someone from the SNL family? Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Melissa McCarthy can always be counted on for snark. What about someone under-appreciated who would be a surprise show stealer? Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley) has been killing it on Twitter lately, and Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project) has always been the perfect mix of a sweet everywoman and a revolutionary. These are just off the top of my head.
I understand why SNL would want Baldwin to host. He’s a beloved power player that’s been unofficially in the comedy club for years, and every season, SNL likes to reserve a couple of spots for hosts like this. There’s also a good chance that the sketch show wants to honor a man who has been such an influential part of its history by giving him a record-breaking spot. And, from a ratings point of view, the episode is sure to do well with a headliner like Baldwin. However, we already had our big host episode when Tom Hanks crushed it in October, and there are only so many hosting spots per season. Though the episode will be incredible and likely packed with fun guest appearances, turning over the mic to a man who’s already a series regular and has already made his opinions very clear seems a bit underwhelming for such a revolutionary season.
Saturday Night Live‘s Season 42 episode “Alec Baldwin” will premiere Saturday, February 11 on NBC at 11:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. PT. You can stream the episode the next day on Hulu.
