Tuesday on Morning Joe, co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski criticized Saturday Night Live for their portrayal of red America in a skit during its most recent episode. SNL attacked Trump voters in a tasteless opening skit, which painted the voters as stupid and confused. Brzezinski introduced the skit: “Saturday Night Live’s opening sketch this weekend was about Donald Trump and his supporters in Union, Kentucky. People think maybe they were being made fun of- maybe it's actually the liberals showing just how clueless they are.”
A chopped clip then aired of the SNL piece, which focused on a male and female voter, both with thick southern accents, asking Alec Baldwin’s Trump character for help. In the skit, Baldwin’s Trump did the exact opposite of what the two people needed, even though his supporters were fine with it.
For example, the male character told Baldwin’s Trump: “I work in Union but my wife won't move because she's in a federally sponsored drug rehab program that's an hour a way.” ‘Trump’ interjected, poking fun at Melania Trump: “Terrible. That’s the exact problem I have. My wife doesn't want to move either.” The man continued: “But like I was saying, my wife stays because of the federal rehab program.” ‘Trump’ answered: “Well, don't worry about that, okay, because we're going to get rid of it...Now she can live wherever she wants to. Did I make you feel better now?” The male character, confused but happy, answered: “I'm not sure. But I voted for you and you're my president!”
The clip ended and Brzezinski said: “I don't know.” Scarborough retorted: “There's a lot of criticism online about that sketch. Ron Fournier tweeted this: "That SNL cold open is what the Democratic Party thinks of red America, which is why it went red."
Guest, Steve Kornacki added:
I think – there's something to that. I think –there's a narrative almost that you see sort of in the sort of the cultural programming that comes out of blue America that has been waiting for the idea that these Trump voters are going to realize they were duped. And you see that sort of -- that theme is heavy in a lot of the coverage that I've seen -- sort of coming out of blue and–And that seems to be the message there–They're slowly going to find out that they didn't know what was best for them.
Scarborough declared: “This arrogance -- again, it is why --They never saw it coming” MSNBC contributor Mike Barnicle replied: “A sketch like that really shows how some people, especially in Manhattan, look at some parts of the world, including places like Staten Island, the people who live there are like a laboratory experiment. Let's go visit Staten Island. Let's drop in on Paducah, Kentucky, and see how natives feel about America.
Scarborough added, slamming this outlook:
You know, and the biggest problem is, this elitism. It doesn't end up hurting the conservatives. It ends up hurting the very people that they -- that are mocking them and I'm not talking about just this one SNL sketch, I'm talking about whether it's academia or whether it's popular culture because they're the ones that wake up the morning after George W. Bush is re-elected in 2004 walking around like zombies shocked or they are the ones that are shocked that Donald Trump could win. I mean- Again, I don't mean to just keep repeating this, but there were certain people that got absolutely skewered for even suggesting Donald Trump could win. They were so close-minded about everything, they would not even consider the alternative that Donald Trump could win.
This is the exchange that took place April 11:
MSNBC- Morning Joe
8AM TEASE
8:38:09 - 8:42:15
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Saturday Night Live’s opening sketch this weekend was about Donald Trump and his supporters in Union, Kentucky. People think maybe they were being made fun of, maybe it's actually the liberals showing just how clueless they are. Take a look.
CLIP:
MALE CHARACTER (southern accent): I work in Union but my wife won't move because she's in a federally sponsored drug rehab program that's an hour a way.
BALDWIN TRUMP: Terrible. That’s the exact problem I have. My wife doesn't want to move either.
MALE CHARACTER (southern accent): But like I was saying, my wife stays because of the federal rehab program.
BALDWIN TRUMP: Well, don't worry about that, okay, because we're going to get rid of it.
MALE CHARACTER (southern accent): You're -- you're getting rid of it?
BALDWIN TRUMP: Yes, junking it. Junked. Now she can live wherever she wants to. Did I make you feel better now?
MALE CHARACTER (southern accent): I'm not sure. But I voted for you and you're my president.
FEMALE CHARACTER (southern accent): I work two jobs for minimum wage-
BALDWIN TRUMP: Minimum wage gone, gone.
FEMALE CHARACTER (southern accent): Okay. Perfect. It’s just we can't afford a new house because my mortgage is under water.
BALDWIN TRUMP: We're getting rid of that- we’re getting rid of it.
FEMALE CHARACTER (southern accent): My mortgage?
BALDWIN TRUMP: No, your house, junked.
FEMALE CHARACTER (southern accent): Okay. And we can't even drink our own water because there's lead in it.
BALDWIN TRUMP: No, we're going to keep that, though. We're going to keep that. You still love Trump, right? We still love Trump?
FEMALE CHARACTER (southern accent): You're my president.
BALDWIN TRUMP: Guys, you're blowing my mind. Okay, keep eating that finger chili. I think I hear my helicopter right now. Remember that I am one of you. Remember, I'm one of you.
BRZEZINSKI: I don't know.
SCARBOROUGH: There's a lot of criticism online about that sketch. Ron Fournier tweeted this: That SNL cold open is what the democratic party thinks of red America, which is why it went red.
STEVE KORNACKI: I think– there's something to that. I think –there's a narrative almost that you see sort of in the sort of the cultural programming that comes out of blue America that has been waiting for the idea that these Trump voters are going to realize they were duped. And you see that sort of -- that theme is heavy in a lot of the coverage that I've seen -- sort of coming out of blue and–
BRZEZINSKI: Well that sketch is making it look like they're too dumb to be duped– which is just not nice–
STEVE KORNACKI: And that seems to be the message there–
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah
STEVE KORNACKI: They're slowly going to find out that they didn't know what was best for them.
SCARBOROUGH: I mean- -But it goes back to the arrogance of a book, What's the Matter with Kansas?
MIKE BARNICLE: Kansas, yeah.
SCARBOROUGH: Well, Kansas is just fine without you, Manhattan. Kansas can make its decisions without you. Look -- I mean, there are enough people that live in cities in elite centers that have enough of their own problems. This arrogance -- again, it is why --
BARNICLE: Well yeah, part of it is arrogance– part of it is arrogance but the SNL
SCARBOROUGH: They never saw it coming
BRZEZINSKI: There is some truth to --
BARNICLE: You know– they have a terrific batting average, okay?
SCARBOROUGH: Right
BARNICLE: They get more hits than they have misses. But a sketch like that really shows how some people, especially in Manhattan, look at some parts of the world, including places like Staten Island, the people who live there --
BRZEZINSKI: It's like the Pepsi ad.
BARNICLE: -Are like a laboratory experiment. Let's go visit Staten Island. Let's drop in on Paducah, Kentucky, and see how natives feel about America.
KORNACKI: And take some samples while we're there.
BARNICLE: Yeah.
SCARBOROUGH: You know, and the biggest problem is, Willie, is this elitism it doesn't end up hurting the conservatives. It ends up hurting the very people that they -- that are mocking them and I'm not talking about just this one SNL sketch, I'm talking about whether it's academia or whether it's popular culture because they're the ones that wake up the morning after George W. Bush is re-elected in 2004 walking around like zombies shocked or they are the ones that are shocked that Donald Trump could win. I mean- Again, I don't mean to just keep repeating this, but there were certain people that got absolutely skewered for even suggesting Donald Trump could win. They were so close-minded about everything, they would not even consider the alternative that Donald Trump could win.
