QUESTON: Comedy in the time of Trump: Is it more difficult than it was when you were on Saturday Night Live?
NORM MACDONALD: It's more difficult in the time of Trump for good comedians, and its way easier for bad comedians. You dont have a worldview by just saying that you don't like Trump, you know what I mean? That doesnt count. You cant just say 'I hate Trump' and that makes you a good person. The Democrats cant just say I hate Trump and that means that I have a position. Thats no position.
So, for idiots, it's an easier time because you go 'well that guy's the idiot, not me.' But if you try to do smart comedy its better to stay away from Trump...
CTV: He's being caricatured quite mercilessly on Saturday Night Live by Alec Baldwin. Is that funny to you?
NORM MACDONALD: No. The only reason I don't find it funny is when I was there Darrell Hammond did Donald Trump, that shows how long Trump has been there, that was 20 years ago. Darrel did a softer Trump, I think a lot closer to his real self.
The thing is, if you do an impression of someone, you have to like the person, because you're playing the person and people like themselves. So, you can play someone and have contempt for them at the same time, it doens't work. I don't like the impression, and I have no political affiliation, I just mean on a comedy level.
I try to not do comedy about Donald Trump I try to stay away from it because it's low-hanging fruit and also Trump often times is doing self-parody and nothing looks dumber than if you parody self-parody.
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"History Is Much Like An Endless Waltz. The Three Beats Of War, Peace And Revolution Continue On Forever." - Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz
