‘SNL’ Alum Taran Killam Blasts Show’s ‘Hypocrisy’ for Skewering Former Host Donald Trump

Trump’s 2015 hosting stint “only grows more embarrassing and shameful as time goes on,” former cast member says

Talk about biting the hand that fed you. Former “Saturday Night Live” star ripped his former show’s constant digs at President Donald Trump after inviting him on set as a guest host in 2015 during the campaign.

“It certainly feels like there’s some hypocrisy there,” Killam told NPR in an interview to promote his upcoming movie “Killing Gunther.”

“I guess you could say, ‘Oh, they’re righting wrongs.’ And I don’t even think it’s righting wrongs,” said Killam, who was released a year early by NBC and producer Lorne Michaels from his his seven-year contract.

“The show tries to — and in particular, Lorne’s outlook is — play to both sides. Play to the masses, play to whatever the popular opinion is,” he said. “But, boy, they could definitely mine some comedy out of owning up to it, huh?”

Killam also recalled the “rough” experience taping the Trump-hosted  episode on November 7, 2015, which the actor described as “not enjoyable at the time” and added that it “only grows more embarrassing and shameful as time goes on.”

“Looking back … there’s nothing good I can take from that week,” Killam continued. “Because he’s not an enjoyable person to be around — he’s from a different class; he’s from a different way of life. There was never any common ground.”

He said the most “heartbreaking” moment of Trump’s “SNL” week was the host dinner where the then-candidate was joined by his wife, Melania, daughter Ivanka and son in law Jared Kushner.

According to Killam, Trump told Michaels, “You know, Lorne, if I don’t win this thing, I’m gonna be fine. We just bought this beautiful piece of property in Scotland. If I have to be president, I’m never gonna see that thing.”

“And that that was his priority in that moment, that that was even a consideration, made me sad,” Killam said.

While he doesn’t think Trump’s “SNL” appearance led to his winning the election, Killam said such gigs helped to “normalize” Trump and “makes it OK for him to be part of the conversation.”

Hear Killam’s full interview above.

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