If you think Alec Baldwin's gig playing Donald Trump on SNL is getting a little old, you aren't the only one. Ron Schneider, who was a cast member from 1990-1994, thinks the iconic sketch comedy show can do better, according to The Daily News.
"The fun of Saturday Night Live was always you never knew which way they leaned politically," Schneider said. "You kind of assumed they would lean more left and liberal, but now the cat's out of the bag they are completely against Trump, which I think makes it less interesting because you know the direction the piece is going." He said that the show is obviously "showing their hand" by continuously (and often ruthlessly) going in on President Trump and the GOP.
To further his point, Schneider compared Baldwin's Trump to Dana Carvey, who portrayed President George H.W. Bush dozens of times during his run on the show. "Carvey played it respectfully," he said. "To me, the genius of Dana Carvey was Dana always had empathy for the people he played, and Alec Baldwin has nothing but a fuming, seething anger toward the person he plays."
To put it bluntly: "Alec Baldwin is a brilliant actor...he's not a comedian," said Schneider. He continued, "I don't find his impression to be comical. Because, like I said, I know the way his politics lean and it spoils any surprise. There's no possible surprise. He so clearly hates the man he's playing."
Schneider did not reveal whether or not he supports Trump (The Daily News said he is a centrist), but he said making Trump nervous is "like asking Bill Cosby to top off your drink."
The comedian, now 54, was part of the Saturday Night Live cast from seasons 16-19. During his time on the show, he starred alongside comedic legends including Chris Rock, David Spade, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Adam Sandler, and Chris Farley. You can watch Schneider on season 2 of his Netflix series Real Rob, where he stars alongside wife Patricia Azarcoya and their five-year-old daughter Miranda.
