“Donald Trump? Isn’t he the one that’s like ‘huhh, you’re all losers’?”
The real Hillary Clinton just mocked Trump with killer impression on #SNL pic.twitter.com/afRZrCQ2QD
— Will Rabbe (@WillRabbe) October 4, 2015
The SNL sketch, in which Kate McKinnon plays Hillary Clinton and Hillary herself plays a droll bartender, features an impression of Donald Trump that hit the mark with viewers, poking fun at Trump’s arrogance. Clinton co-opts presidential hopeful Trump’s swaggering manner and gruff, declarative speaking style when doing her impression, which has already given birth to a host of Vines.
U.S. News and World Report notes that political candidates generally play themselves on SNL , often just doing a cameo. Hillary, however, participated in a whole skit, playing a fully-fleshed out character (a bartender named “Val”).
Viewers appeared to enjoy the sketch, with many expressing support for Hillary’s presidential campaign and a renewed appreciation for the potential of SNL to offer entertaining political commentary.
HRC’s Trump impression was worth staying up past my bedtime #SNL
— Sara Lang Gifford (@SaraLang) October 4, 2015
Ok that was funny. #Hillary #SNL
— Jessica Taylor (@JessicaTaylor) October 4, 2015
Having @HillaryClinton as my bartender would be awesome. But I think I’d rather have her as my president. #SNL pic.twitter.com/0hoD06yjbn
— Luna Ghraoui (@lunaghraoui) October 4, 2015
SNL regular Kate McKinnon’s talent as an impersonator was not ignored either, and Hillary herself took to Twitter to say that “four more years” of them would be reason enough to vote her in as president in 2016,
A vote for Hillary is a vote for four more years of Kate McKinnon’s impression. #citizens pic.twitter.com/8WFlf1dy9n
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 4, 2015
Not everyone was light-hearted. One fan on twitter wondered why the name of Clinton’s competitor for the 2016 democratic ticket, Bernie Sanders, was not mentioned even once in a show rife with political jokes.
With all the political jokes so far, #SNL ‘s refusal to even utter Bernie Sanders’ name concerns me. Was that the only way to book Hillary?
— Tones and All (@tonypuricelli) October 4, 2015
The suggestion that Hillary Clinton may have agreed to do SNL on the condition that her opponent not be mentioned prompted a variety of responses, with some agreeing and others dismissing the suspiciously-spirited statement. Hillary herself has suggested she sees SNL as a laugh and a good time — not as a campaign platform — even telling media “I love the impersonations of me.”
Hillary Clinton: “I Love The Impersonations Of Me” On @nbcSNL (VIDEO) http://t.co/a8VHEtIaiA #SNL
— Suggest (@suggestonline) October 4, 2015
Also performing on SNL was Miley Cyrus, who wore a characteristically extravagant costume, which included a headpiece that overflowed with masses of pastel-colored dredlocks and crafty paraphernalia.
Hillary Clinton herself introduced Cyrus’s vocal performance, standing stiffly in a presidential suit and intoning the singer’s name before gesturing to the stage with her arm. The camera then panned to Cyrus on stage in her elaborate gear, which one person compared to “something I pulled out of my vacuum filter.”
Just flipped on #SNL and @MileyCyrus looks like something I pulled out of my vacuum filter last week…. ? pic.twitter.com/M8oT3c08Bk
— Mohamed Abdel-Kader (@MAKtweeter) October 4, 2015
Another tweeter called the intro, which captured the contrast between the stoic style of Clinton and the pop-kitsch persona of Miley Cyrus, “the weirdest 6 seconds in history.”
Thank you, #SNL , for the weirdest 6 seconds in history. https://t.co/AMXVrctj5f
— PeytonsHead? (@BigHeadBS) October 4, 2015
Who would you like to see in the White House? Trump, Clinton, Sanders or someone else? Who would make the best “first lady”? Tell us what you think in the comments.
[Photo by Joe Raedell, Mark Wilson, Jose Luis Magana/Getty Images]
