Ever since the start of the 2016 presidential election, "Saturday Night Live" has witnessed a resurgence in popularity. Following the election of Donald Trump, it appears the show is looking to capitalize on the controversy.
"SNL" expansion
Once Donald Trump officially announced his campaign for president, it was only a matter of time before comedians took aim at the billionaire real estate mogul. For "Saturday Night Live," the show tapped veteran actor Alec Baldwin to take on the satirical role of the former host of "The Apprentice." While Baldwin has received rave reviews, Trump himself has not been happy, often taking to his Twitter account to blast the show's contents in a series of social media tirades.
While Baldwin has been the anchor for the show's political humor, there have been other areas that have been just as humorous. As reported by The Hill on February 7, "SNL" is looking to expand into primetime.
"SNL" to launch "Weekend Update" primetime show https://t.co/ZM8ofmcJaT pic.twitter.com/YduLf2RXoX
— The Hill (@thehill) February 7, 2017
According to The Hill, which was first reported by Politico, "Saturday Night Live" is turning their "Weekend Update" segment into a spin-off, which would air in primetime on Thursday nights. The segment was first created in 1975 by former cast member Chevy Chase, along with writer Hern Sargent. "Weekend Update" has had a revolving door of hosts over the last four decades, which is currently being led by Colin Jost and Michael Che, who have been in the position since 2014.
"SNL' popularity boost
Recent numbers released by Variety note that "SNL" has seen a ratings increase of more than 22 percent compared to the previous season, much of which has to do with the Donald Trump election win. The sketch comedy show is pulling in a rating of 10.6 million viewers, which is nearly two million more than in 2015-2016, which averaged 8.7 million viewers per episode.
White House rattled by McCarthy's spoof of Spicer https://t.co/p1T89yGQAG pic.twitter.com/ikb4mARjxG
— POLITICO (@politico) February 7, 2017
Trump's reaction
The most recent episode of "Saturday Night Live" included segments from the "Weekend Update," as well as Alec Baldwin reprising his role as Donald Trump. However, the highlight moment came when Melissa McCarthy stole the show by playing a satirical version of White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.
Trump didn't offer his opinion on Twitter, which caught many off guard, but a report in Politico Monday night claimed that the new president was left rattled over how his administration is coming across.
